On Sunday, a tragedy occurred in the greater Boston area when three family members were stabbed to death in their own home. It was the same day that two of the victims were planning to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.
The Newton Police Department received a 911 call from someone who knew the family. When the caller arrived at the residence on Broadway Street, they discovered the victims: Jill D’Amore, 73, Bruno D’Amore, 74, and Lucia Arpino, 97. All three had signs of being beaten and had visible stab wounds.
The victims were identified in a letter from the family that was released by their church. Paul Arpino and Ginny Arpino expressed in the letter that the tragedy was close to home and that the victims were their cousins and aunt. The family members were also parishioners of Our Lady of Help Christians Parish, and church members grew concerned when they failed to show up for mass. Father Dan Riley of Our Lady Help of Christians shared that the couple was to receive a blessing in celebration of their 50th anniversary after the 10 a.m. mass.
The letter from the family also gave details about each of the deceased, noting that Jill had taken on the ministry of beautifying the church’s environment, Bruno had a big voice and exuberant personality and was “head chef” at the parish picnic, and Lucia was a faithful walker in the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Festa procession. Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said that the deceased were “terrific people” and “very well known.”
The press release issued by the District Attorney’s office revealed signs of forced entry into the home and that an attempted break-in was reported nearby. However, the two incidents are not believed to be connected. In an effort to find the suspect or suspects, police are asking for help from the public, particularly for any surveillance footage. The Newton Police Department said that extra officers have been added to each shift to perform directed patrols. At this time, there are no known suspects.