Authorities are investigating after eight deaths in a concentrated area have sparked fears of a possible serial killer. All eight deaths occurred within a few weeks of each other, prompting speculation and concern among local communities.
On April 22, a woman was discovered unresponsive near a bike path in Springfield, specifically at the 1500 block of Hall of Fame Avenue.
Upon the arrival of police and medical personnel, the woman was pronounced dead, according to Ryan Walsh, spokesperson for the Springfield Police Department.
Walsh stated: “The SPD Homicide Unit under the direction Captain Trent Duda is conducting an unattended death investigation in conjunction with the @HampdenDA Murder Unit, pending an autopsy by the Medical Examiner.”
The exact circumstances surrounding the woman’s death remain unknown, despite the initial statement from the police.
Reports indicate that eight individuals, predominantly women, have died across Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island throughout March and April. This has led to public speculation about a potential serial killer.
In the past two months, human remains have been found in areas such as New Haven, Norwalk, Groton, and Killingly in Connecticut, as well as in Rhode Island.
No official links between the deaths have been made by authorities. Walsh told Fox News Digital that ‘internet rumors are just that’.
The Connecticut State Police have also released a statement, noting that ‘there is no information at this time suggesting any connection to similar remains discoveries, and there is also no known threat to the public at this time’ regarding the multiple fatalities in the state.
A Facebook group initially named ‘New England Serial Killer’ helped fuel the speculation, but it has since been renamed in accordance with social media guidelines.
Peter Valentin, chair of the Forensic Science Department at the University of New Haven, has discussed the situation with Fox News Digital in light of recent developments.
He pointed out that Springfield police have yet to determine a cause of death for the woman found on the bike path, emphasizing this as a crucial detail.
Valentin shared with the outlet: “I am curious about what was recovered around the body. There might have been paraphernalia suggestive of activity that is deemphasizing homicide (perhaps incorrectly) to the investigators because that article is quite tepid. It is filled with very cautious language (surely taken right from police press releases), which might be intentional to not feed into what is now turning into intense scrutiny over every suspicious death in New England.”