What is fueling the New England serial killer phenomenon?

BOSTON — In the beginning of March, online sleuths were the first to pick up on a dark trend: They noticed that bodies were turning up all across southern New England.

And as each body was discovered, membership in the private Facebook discussion group, New England S.K., soared.

Group members openly discussed the possibility that some, or all, of the bodies recently discovered throughout Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts might be the work of a serial killer.

The speculation grew so loud that law enforcement responded.

In Framingham, where a body was found on April 10, Middlesex County DA Marian Ryan said in a statement: “Information gathered at the scene does not indicate foul play.”

In Springfield, where a 45-year-old woman’s body was found in late April, Hampden DA Anthony Gulluni said in a statement: “At this time, there is no indication that these incidents are connected to each other or are they part of a larger public safety threat.”

“We have law enforcement saying there is no serial killer, yet people are still thinking there might be a serial killer out there,” Boston 25 News Reporter Bob Ward said to Emerson College Professor of Public Relations David Richard.

“They want to believe. And social media backs it up,” Richard said.

Professor Richard is not surprised that concern over an unconfirmed potential New England serial killer is spreading like wildfire on the web.

“We almost kind of want there to be something like this, because in a way, the news and social media have merged together and it’s become info-tainment for us,” Richard said.

New England has long had a fascination with serial killers.

In the 1960’s, it was the Boston Strangler Case.

In the Early 1990’s, the still unsolved New Bedford Highway Murders attracted national attention.

And more recently, law enforcement has focused on a string of unsolved murders of women from the Main South area of Worcester.

But what about now?

Why are people focusing on these New England cases?

“It’s exciting for them, unfortunately,” Podcaster Anngelle Wood said. Wood hosts the podcast “Crime of the Truest Kind.”

“I think it’s exciting for them to think that there is because it’s something that is water cooler talk. The things that we used to do standing, you know, at the coffee machine at work. Now we’re doing that in Facebook groups.”

Wood is skeptical about the possibility of a current New England serial killer.

She hopes that discussion may soon towards the victims and their families in other unresolved cases.

“I feel like it’s good that people are looking at these cases because these cases need more attention. But I’m always thinking about the families and how this is going to impact them,” Wood said.

Bob Ward’s sources in the law enforcement community say these latest cases in New England are isolated and are mostly likely not the work of a serial killer.

But as we’ve seen, interest in these cases is high.

And people will always be watching, looking for possible connections between various cases.

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