On the morning of November 25, 1975, Ludger “Ludgie” Belanger ventured into the snow-covered woods near his home in Washington, Maine, to hunt deer. Expected home by noon, he never returned, leaving his family in a state of distress and uncertainty that has persisted for nearly four and a half decades.
The Disappearance
Born in 1950 and raised in Mechanic Falls, Belanger had moved to Washington with his family after high school, where he built a life with his childhood sweetheart Linda. By the fall of 1975, he was a devoted father of three young girls and worked as a heavy equipment mechanic. Described as a good husband, father, and outdoorsman, Belanger’s sudden disappearance shattered the peaceful routine of his family life.
As Linda recalled in a 2019 interview, the events of that fateful day unfolded when she and Belanger’s brother dropped him off for his hunting excursion near Route 105. When he failed to return as planned, alarm bells rang for Linda, triggering a search that led to the discovery of tracks, but no sign of Belanger. With game wardens and eventually the Maine State Police joining the search efforts, the community embarked on a desperate quest for answers.
Notably, evidence pointed towards the possibility that Belanger had been picked up by individuals in a passing vehicle after his hunt, setting off a chain of events that hinted at a tragic outcome. Detailed in Daren Worcester’s book Open Season: True Stories of the Maine Warden Service, the investigation led to the identification of two suspects linked to Belanger’s disappearance, but no arrests were made.
The Investigation
The search for truth in the case of Ludger Belanger was an exhaustive and meticulous process that unfolded in the wake of his mysterious disappearance on that fateful November day in 1975. Game wardens, Maine State Police, and community members banded together to comb through the snow-covered woods near Belanger’s home, following a trail of unsettling clues that hinted at a grim fate.
As investigators pieced together the events leading up to Belanger’s vanishing, they uncovered bootprints, evidence of a shot deer, and tire tracks that pointed to a potential encounter with unknown individuals. The discovery of a crumpled receipt at the scene further deepened the mystery, raising questions about the circumstances surrounding Belanger’s disappearance.
Despite the diligent efforts of search teams, including the deployment of cadaver dogs, planes, and divers, no concrete leads surfaced, leaving his family and the community grappling with the lingering uncertainty. Each new development in the investigation added layers of complexity to an already perplexing case, fueling speculation and unease among those involved.
The Case Today
Decades later, the case of Ludger Belanger stands as a chilling enigma—a tale of a hunter turned hunted in the quiet woods of Maine. Despite a series of intriguing developments, including the identification of suspects and a tragic turn of events involving one of them, the ultimate fate of Belanger remains shrouded in mystery. Linda Belanger Perkins, steadfast in her quest for closure, continues to seek justice for her missing husband, keeping his memory alive through dedicated efforts and online advocacy.
The pursuit of the truth about Ludger Belanger’s disappearance continues as the trail gets colder and the years go by in the hope of shedding light on a dark period in Maine’s history. While the mystery endures, the legacy of Ludger Belanger lives on, a reminder of the enduring impact of unresolved loss and the unyielding quest for closure.
