50 Years Later: The Bergen County Murder That SHATTERED a Town’s Innocence—Remembering Susan Reeve
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
DEMAREST, NJ | October 16, 2025 – Fifty years ago this week, the abduction and murder of 22-year-old Susan Reeve shattered the peace of the quiet suburban town of Demarest, Bergen County. On October 14, longtime residents gathered solemnly at the Demarest Gazebo to mark the anniversary of the tragedy and remember the young woman whose death forever changed the community.
The emotional memorial service, organized by former Demarest Ambulance Squad Captain Owen T. Clarke, served as a powerful reminder of a crime that rocked not only Demarest but all of North Jersey.
