Law enforcement officials in the Northeast are debunking claims that there is a serial killer on the loose after 13 unexplained deaths, mostly women, have raised concerns in New England.
Since March, authorities in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Maine have discovered over 13 bodies, but they say there’s not enough evidence pointing to one suspect.
The latest, on June 1, came in Milton, Massachusetts, where a passerby spotted the body of 21-year-old Adriana Suazo in the woods next to a home, Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey revealed in a press release.
There were “no obvious signs of trauma” on Suazo’s body, Morrissey said. The Chief Medical Examiner is still investigating the cause of her death.
Suazo is remembered as “a firecracker, full of life, laughter, and fierce love” by her sister, Mel, on a GoFundMe page set up by the family, which has nearly reached its goal of $11,000 to cover funeral costs.
Though the 13 cases haven’t been officially linked or all ruled homicides, there are some similarities.
The first occurred on March 6 when 35-year-old Paige Fannon was found dead in the Norwalk River in Connecticut. That same day, in a wooded area in Plymouth, Massachusetts, a human skull was discovered. Thirteen days later, 58-year-old Suzanne Wormser’s dismembered remains were found in a suitcase in Groton, Connecticut. Her roommate was a suspect, but following her arrest, she died in police custody.
On March 25, 59-year-old Denise Leary turned up dead in New Haven, Connecticut. One day later, the remains of Michele Romano, 56, were uncovered in a wooded area in Foster, Rhode Island.
In April, the serial killer talk was magnified after the remains of six people were found near the borders of three states – Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island – all in close proximity.
Police investigating those cases say they don’t believe one person is responsible for any of the deaths that might have been homicides.
“This investigation is in the early stages, remains active and ongoing, and there is no information at this time suggesting any connection to similar remains discoveries actively under investigation by CSP or other CT law enforcement agencies,” the Connecticut State Police said in a statement, adding “there is no known threat to the public at this time.”
On April 9, unidentified remains were found in Killingly, Connecticut. A body was pulled from the Seekonk River in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, on April 20. A week later, two bodies were found, one in the Connecticut River, the other in Taunton, Massachusetts. And on April 22, near a bike path in Springfield, Massachusetts, 45-year-old Meggan Meredith’s body was found.
Then, on May 30, Jasmine Wilkes, 34, was found deceased in New Haven — the second body found in the Connecticut suburb.
As for Suazo, a Boston native, family members said they didn’t know what she was doing in Milton. Her sister told the Boston Globe they last spoke on May 29.
“If you knew Adriana, you know she didn’t play bout her family,” her sister Mel wrote. “She was headstrong, yes—but more than anything, she was loyal. Ride-or-die, no matter what. She loved hard, laughed loud, and made sure the people around her felt it.”
“My family is completely heartbroken, trying to navigate this pain while also doing everything we can to give Adriana the proper burial she deserves—a sendoff that honors the vibrant, loving, and unforgettable person she was,” she continues.
Authorities are urging anyone who saw Suazo in the last week to call the Massachusetts State Police Tip Line at the NDAO at 781-830-4990.
