A Rhode Island man has been arrested and charged with the murder of a missing woman, more than two years after her disappearance. The arrest came after the discovery of the woman’s skeletal remains and crucial GPS evidence linking the suspect to the location where her remains were found.
The 64-year-old suspect is accused of killing the 44-year-old woman, who had been missing since May 2022. Her remains, identified through dental records, were discovered earlier this month. Investigators had considered the suspect a person of interest early in the case but lacked sufficient evidence to charge him until the remains were found.
Details from the investigation paint a disturbing picture of the events surrounding the woman’s disappearance. A witness reported seeing the suspect shortly after the woman was last seen and noticed he had “blood on his hands” along with scratches and bite marks on his arms. The suspect allegedly described an intense argument, referring to it as “the blowout of the century,” and admitted that his house was in disarray, calling it “a blood bath.” He also allegedly told the witness, “I think I killed her.”
Police interviewed the suspect days later and noted that his hands were swollen, though he appeared calm and unconcerned about the woman’s disappearance. He reportedly told investigators that she had stopped responding to his messages and that he did not know where she was.
During a search of the suspect’s residence, investigators found blood splatters on the walls, ceiling, doors, and bedframe, along with a bloodstained shirt hanging in the basement above a bottle of bleach. DNA testing later linked the blood to the missing woman and her family. Investigators also discovered evidence of the suspect’s movements on the day she vanished, including surveillance footage showing him leaving his home in his truck with an object in the back. When he returned hours later, the object was no longer there.
Further examination of the woman’s final movements revealed that she had driven to another man’s house on the day she disappeared. The suspect reportedly followed her to the location and later sent text messages asking her to return home. This incident was believed to have sparked the violent confrontation between the two.
The investigation gained critical momentum after the woman’s skull was discovered in a remote area. GPS data from the suspect’s truck showed that he had visited the location four times in the months following her disappearance, twice in July and twice in October. On at least one occasion, his truck stopped within 1,000 feet of where the remains were ultimately found. This connection provided the evidence investigators needed to charge him with murder.
The suspect had previously been arrested for an unrelated incident involving threats made to a local individual. At that time, he was questioned about the missing woman but denied involvement. Despite his initial claims, evidence from the crime scene and his movements contradicted his account.
The murder charges came as a result of the persistent efforts of law enforcement and forensic experts, who meticulously analyzed the evidence over two years. The suspect has been arraigned and formally charged with first-degree murder. He has not entered a plea and is being held without bail as the case proceeds.
This case highlights the importance of advances in forensic science and the role of technology in solving cold cases. GPS data, combined with physical evidence and witness accounts, played a pivotal role in connecting the suspect to the crime. The discovery of the remains and the subsequent breakthroughs in the investigation bring some measure of closure to the victim’s family, who have endured years of uncertainty and grief.
The legal process is ongoing, and the suspect faces the possibility of a life sentence if convicted. Authorities continue to investigate all aspects of the case to ensure that justice is served. The tragic circumstances surrounding this case underscore the devastating impact of domestic violence and the importance of vigilance in addressing signs of abuse.
