Rumors about a possible serial killer in New England are swirling as people fumble for a connection among several recent deaths, but a top Massachusetts prosecutor says there is no such link, and a former Boston police commissioner warns the internet chatter is untrustworthy.”I think what you have to remember is, with the internet, there are no guardrails on the comments,” said Ed Davis, who led the Boston Police Department from 2006 through 2013 and now owns a security firm. “There’s a lot of misinformation, and people really need to use critical thinking skills when they see something spoken about online.” On Tuesday, a woman was found unresponsive along a bike path in Springfield and later died. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is performing an autopsy in connection with that investigation.The victim in Springfield was later identified as Meggan Meredith, 45, and the DA’s office said her death is being investigated by homicide investigators.In Plymouth, where a skull was found in March, the investigation is ongoing. “The skull is with the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. We urge anyone with credible information to contact (Massachusetts State Police) or Plymouth Police,” the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office said.Other recent deaths and rumors have spanned Connecticut and Rhode Island.In Narragansett, police searched a beach with cadaver dogs after a Facebook post referenced bodies buried in the sand. They found nothing.While some of the cases remain unexplained, at least publicly, Davis said it doesn’t make any sense for investigators to try to cover up a serial killer.”If you have a serial killer, you get additional resources from the federal and state governments. Frankly, if I had a serial killer or suspected there was one operating, I’d be telling everybody so I’d be getting as much help as I could,” Davis said. Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni issued a statement Thursday in which he acknowledged the community’s desire to know that each case is being investigated, but urged everyone to avoid jumping to conclusions. “While online conversations around these incidents continue to grow, we urge the public to be mindful of the role that social media can play in spreading fear or misinformation. Unverified claims can compromise active investigations and contribute to a sense of chaos that does not reflect the full picture,” Gulluni said.He said that law enforcement and prosecutors are working on each case, while emphasizing that there is currently no suspected link.“At this time, there is no indication that these incidents are connected to each other or are a part of a larger public safety threat,” he said.
Rumors about a possible serial killer in New England are swirling as people fumble for a connection among several recent deaths, but a top Massachusetts prosecutor says there is no such link, and a former Boston police commissioner warns the internet chatter is untrustworthy.
“I think what you have to remember is, with the internet, there are no guardrails on the comments,” said Ed Davis, who led the Boston Police Department from 2006 through 2013 and now owns a security firm. “There’s a lot of misinformation, and people really need to use critical thinking skills when they see something spoken about online.”
On Tuesday, a woman was found unresponsive along a bike path in Springfield and later died. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is performing an autopsy in connection with that investigation.
The victim in Springfield was later identified as Meggan Meredith, 45, and the DA’s office said her death is being investigated by homicide investigators.
In Plymouth, where a skull was found in March, the investigation is ongoing.
“The skull is with the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. We urge anyone with credible information to contact (Massachusetts State Police) or Plymouth Police,” the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office said.
Other recent deaths and rumors have spanned Connecticut and Rhode Island.
In Narragansett, police searched a beach with cadaver dogs after a Facebook post referenced bodies buried in the sand. They found nothing.
While some of the cases remain unexplained, at least publicly, Davis said it doesn’t make any sense for investigators to try to cover up a serial killer.
“If you have a serial killer, you get additional resources from the federal and state governments. Frankly, if I had a serial killer or suspected there was one operating, I’d be telling everybody so I’d be getting as much help as I could,” Davis said.
Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni issued a statement Thursday in which he acknowledged the community’s desire to know that each case is being investigated, but urged everyone to avoid jumping to conclusions.
“While online conversations around these incidents continue to grow, we urge the public to be mindful of the role that social media can play in spreading fear or misinformation. Unverified claims can compromise active investigations and contribute to a sense of chaos that does not reflect the full picture,” Gulluni said.
He said that law enforcement and prosecutors are working on each case, while emphasizing that there is currently no suspected link.
“At this time, there is no indication that these incidents are connected to each other or are a part of a larger public safety threat,” he said.
