The recent arrest of a suspected kidnapper in upstate New York has brought renewed attention to two unsolved murder cases in Saratoga County. The disappearances of Christina White and Jennifer “Moonbeam” Hammond, which occurred two years apart, have remained unsolved for years, with their bodies later found dumped in rural Greenfield, New York. White’s remains were discovered a year after her disappearance in June 2005, and authorities determined that she had been stabbed. Hammond, a Colorado native, was last seen in August 2003 while selling magazines door to door in Ballston Spa. Her remains were found six years later, but the cause of her death remains unknown.
The cases of White and Hammond were believed to be linked by authorities in 2017, and they have gained renewed attention following the recent abduction of a 9-year-old girl named Charlotte Sena, which received national coverage. The man accused of kidnapping Charlotte, Craig Nelson Ross Jr., has a history of living in and around parks similar to Moreau Lake State Park, where the abduction took place. While Ross has not been named a suspect in the cold cases, community members have begun to scrutinize their reclusive neighbor.
Criminal profiler John Kelly noted that the killer of White and Hammond likely had knowledge of the area and may have had a preference for redheaded victims, as both girls had auburn hair. The fact that their bodies were found near trailer parks in the county further supports the theory that the killer was familiar with the area. However, there is currently little publicly known evidence linking Ross to the cold cases.
Ross has a history of violence, including a DWI conviction in 1999 and subsequent misdemeanor charges of aggravated harassment and domestic violence. His recent arrest for kidnapping Charlotte Sena led investigators to find his fingerprints on a ransom note left in the Sena family mailbox.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about the White and Hammond cases to come forward and contact the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. The recent attention on the cases has sparked hope that new tips will emerge, shedding light on these long-standing unsolved murders.
In conclusion, the arrest of a suspected kidnapper in upstate New York has brought attention to two cold cases involving the unsolved murders of Christina White and Jennifer Hammond. These cases share similarities with the recent abduction of 9-year-old Charlotte Sena, leading to speculation about a possible connection. While the suspect, Craig Nelson Ross Jr., has a history of violence, there is currently limited evidence linking him to the cold cases. Authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward, hoping that new tips will help solve these long-standing mysteries.
