The recent unearthing of seven bodies in various stages of decomposition across three New England states has prompted calls for a comprehensive, multi-state investigation. Pennsylvania-based defense attorney Matthew Mangino has called on law enforcement agencies in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island to join forces. The bodies were discovered in coastal towns between March and April, fueling online speculation about the possibility of a serial killer.
Mangino, who previously served as the District Attorney for Lawrence County, underscored the need for inter-jurisdictional cooperation to ascertain if there is a potential threat to the public. He suggested that the circumstances surrounding the discoveries, whether coincidental or not, necessitate thorough examination.
The bodies were discovered in a range of locations, including New Haven, Groton, and Killingly in Connecticut, Plymouth and Framingham in Massachusetts, and Foster in Rhode Island. Authorities have identified three of the bodies as female, but the causes of death remain undisclosed.
Mangino emphasized the importance of the jurisdictions comparing their findings and reports. He raised questions about the nature of the deaths, suggesting they could be homicides, natural deaths, suicides, or accidents. The primary concern, he said, is to determine the cause and manner of death.
Among the deceased was Paige Fannon, 35, from West Islip, New York, whose body was found in Norwalk River on March 6. On the same day, a human skull was discovered in a wooded area of Route 3 in Plymouth. On March 19, the remains of an adult female, estimated to be between 40 and 60 years old, were found near a cemetery in Groton. Two days later, Denise Leary, a 59-year-old missing mother of two, was found in New Haven. Michele Romano, 56, a missing woman from Warwick, New York, was found in the woods in Foster on March 26.
In April, additional human remains were discovered in Killingly, and another body was found off the Massachusetts Turnpike in Framingham. However, the Connecticut State Police have stated that there is no known connection between these discoveries and no known threat to the public. The investigation remains active and ongoing.
The series of discoveries has sparked online discussions in a private Facebook group called “New England Serial Killer,” which has seen a surge in membership. Despite this, Romano’s family has dismissed the idea that her death was the work of a serial killer, expressing faith in the Rhode Island State Police and their private investigator to bring the person responsible to justice.