The Murdered Lyla Jean Poitras

The Murdered 
Lyla Jean Poitras
Tiverton, Rhode Island

🕯️ A Life Cut Short: The Unsolved Murder of Lyla Poitras 💔

Lyla Jean Poitras, born September 12, 1949, was just 28 years old when she mysteriously vanished from her home on Cynthia Avenue in Tiverton, Rhode Island, in late June 1977. Concern first arose when a neighbor noticed that Lyla’s car hadn’t moved and her home seemed unusually still for days; after peering through a window and seeing her television on but no sign of her, police were called. Inside the locked home, investigators found her purse, identification, glasses, contact lenses, and her two beloved cats, but no Lyla. There were no signs of a struggle, though her spare house keys were missing, and it was quickly discovered that she had also failed to show up to her job at Aetna Life and Casualty in Fall River, something completely out of character for her. As local police and Rhode Island State Police launched an extensive search with K-9 units, tips began to emerge, including a report from a neighbor who claimed to hear screams around 3 a.m. on June 27, the same night Lyla’s boyfriend, who was later cleared as a suspect, said he last saw her after watching a Red Sox game together. Investigators believe Lyla likely locked her home and stepped out with someone she knew, expecting to return shortly.
  Two weeks later, on July 13, 1977, her body was discovered in a dense forested area about 3.3 miles from her home along William Canning Boulevard. She was fully clothed and badly decomposed, with no signs of assault, but evidence suggested she had been placed there from a vehicle. In her pocket were the missing spare house keys. The medical examiner later determined Lyla died from a single gunshot wound to the right side of her head, likely from a small caliber handgun, ruling her death a homicide. Despite an exhaustive investigation following hundreds of leads and interviewing over 100 people, no charges were ever filed. Described as outgoing, dependable, and an animal lover who cared deeply for others, Lyla left behind a grieving community that has never forgotten her. Decades later, her case remains unsolved, though police say there is a person of interest and continue to seek answers. 

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Tiverton Police Detective Division at 401-625-6717, or call 1-877-RI-SOLVE.

Sources: 

Murdered: Lyla Poitras | Tiverton, RI | Uncovered

Lyla Jean Poitras (1949-1977) – Find a Grave Memorial 

Lyla-J.-Poitras-Homicide-07-14-1977.pdf

Eyewitness News goes into the archives to shine light on 42-year-old murder case | WPRI.com Forty years later, who killed Lyla Poitras? | EastBayRI.com – News, Opinion, Things to Do in the East Bay