By Whitney Danhauer InTouch Weekly
Fears of a possible serial killer targeting victims across New England have sparked growing concern as authorities have been investigating a string of suspicious deaths. Officials haven't publicly confirmed a connection between the cases, but unsettling similarities have led many to speculate that a pattern may be emerging.
Why Do People Think There Is a Serial Killer in New England?
Since March 2025, the discovery of eight sets of human remains across Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island has ignited widespread speculation about a potential serial killer operating in New England. The remains belong to mostly women, with the first notable discovery occurring on March 6, 2025, and the most recent on April 22, 2025.
In addition to several of the bodies being women and the conditions of the remains were similar. Plus, the locations of the bodies have been close to each other, which has only fueled fears. Despite all of this, officials have not publicly linked the deaths, but theories that a serial killer might be terrorizing New England have continued to gain traction with true crime enthusiasts on social media.
Who Are the Victims Linked to the Potential New England Serial Killer?
Not all of the eight sets of remains have been identified, but several were. Paige Fannon of West Islip, New York, was found dead in the Norwalk River on March 6, 2025. Her family had reported her missing two days prior, and her personal belongings were discovered near the riverbank.
That same day a human skull was discovered by a local hunter who was looking for deer antlers in Plymouth, Massachusetts, according to Boston 25. At first, he thought the bones belonged to a dead animal, but the skull was too round, which led him to make the call to the police. The lower front set of the skull, including the nasal area and jaw bone, was missing, and authorities have made no identification.
On March 19, 2025, the remains of an unidentified woman thought to be between 40 and 60 years old were discovered inside a suitcase near Groton, Connecticut, and the following day, Denise Leary's body was discovered in New Haven, Connecticut. She had been missing since September 2024, and authorities said that her body was in an advanced state of decay.
The body of Michele Romano, who had been missing since August 2024, was discovered on March 25, 2025, but her sister, Valerie Romano, has said that she was not a victim of a serial killer in New England.
"[Valerie] told me yesterday, ‘The rumors going around do nothing but torture us all over again. We can't even grieve,'" podcaster and close friend of the Romanos, Lauren Lee Malloy, told Rolling Stone. "‘It's only been two weeks since she's been found, and we still have a long road ahead, because we don't even have her body to bury her.'"
On April 9 and 10, more unidentified remains were found in Killingly, Connecticut, and Framingham, Massachusetts. However, no other details have been provided.
Police were notified of an unresponsive woman near a bike path in Springfield, Massachusetts, on April 22, 2025, according to Springfield Police Department spokesman Ryan Walsh, per Boston 25. The woman was pronounced dead shortly after authorities arrived on the scene, but her name has not been released.
Authorities Have Denied There's a Serial Killer in New England
Despite the rumors on social media, several police departments in the surrounding areas have denied that there's a serial killer in New England, per Rolling Stone.
"There is no indication that the woman's remains found in New Haven are the result of a homicide," Officer Christian Bruckhart of New Haven told the outlet in an article published on April 25, 2025. "Denise Leary was suffering from some mental health diagnoses, and her remains were found near where she lived. The office of the chief medical examiner performed an autopsy and was unable to establish an exact cause of death, but the investigation is consistent with her death being an accident."
Officers from police departments in Norwalk, Groton and the Connecticut State Police also made similar comments.
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This story was originally published April 27, 2025 at 10:59 AM.
