Authorities in Massachusetts are investigating the sudden death of a woman found near a popular bike path in Springfield — and the discovery is intensifying wild online speculation about a potential serial killer stalking women across New England.
Body found just off Hall of Fame Avenue
Springfield Police were called to the 1500 block of Hall of Fame Avenue around 5.30pm on Tuesday after reports of an unresponsive woman near a park and bike path. Officers arrived to find the woman dead at the scene. The cause of death remains unknown and will be determined by a medical examiner, police said.
The case is now being handled as an “unattended death” by the department’s homicide unit, working alongside the Hampden District Attorney’s murder unit. Officials have not ruled out foul play but are urging caution amid growing speculation online.
Rumours swirl as death toll reaches eight
The woman’s death has become the latest focus for a rapidly growing online theory that a serial killer may be operating across Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Over the past two months, the remains of eight people — mostly women — have been found in several locations across the three states. Some of the victims have been identified, others remain a mystery.
At least four of the victims — including the most recent case in Springfield — are confirmed to be women. Some bodies were found intact and recently deceased, others in advanced stages of decomposition.
The Facebook group fuelling the theory, now renamed due to platform rules, has exploded in popularity and currently has more than 65,000 members. But police in all three states are urging people not to jump to conclusions.
‘Internet rumours are just that’
Springfield Police spokesperson Ryan Walsh dismissed the speculation, telling Fox News Digital that “internet rumours are just that.” Connecticut State Police issued a similar statement, saying there was “no known connection” between the deaths and “no current threat to the public.”
Forensic science experts say the discovery in Springfield appears to be a recent death, possibly ruling out any link to the older remains found in other areas. Peter Valentin, chair of the Forensic Science Department at the University of New Haven, said the condition of the body meant officers had to check for signs of life — suggesting it was very fresh.
No clear link yet — but questions linger
Despite the cautious tone from officials, the public remains on edge. Victims found in recent weeks include Paige Fannon, 35, from New York, discovered in the Norwalk River; Denise Leary, 59, found in New Haven; and Michele Romano, 56, located in a wooded area of Foster, Rhode Island.
All three women were previously reported missing. At least one other female victim in Connecticut remains unidentified but is believed to have been aged between 40 and 60.
So far, no common cause of death has been made public and authorities insist there is no evidence of a serial offender.
Still, as more bodies surface and speculation grows, police are under increasing pressure to confirm — or deny — what many in New England are starting to fear: that someone is targeting women and getting away with it.
