What police have said about the human remains found near Taylor Swift’s mansion in Rhode Island

13 bodies were found across New England


Police in Rhode Island have responded to wild speculation that a serial killer might be behind a string of recent deaths across New England, after human remains were discovered earlier this week not far from Taylor Swift‘s seaside mansion in Watch Hill.

The remains were found on Wednesday (May 14) in Westerly, a wealthy beach town in Rhode Island, just down the coast from Swift’s sprawling property. It’s the latest in a string of 13 bodies found across Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island since March. This has naturally fuelled theories online that something sinister is going on.

But now, police have responded to the speculations about the human remains found near Taylor Swift’s mansion in Rhode Island.

So, what have police actually said?

Speaking to Fox News, Westerly Police Chief Paul Gingerella said, “As far as I’m concerned, as far as right now, this has nothing to do with any serial killer or any New England murderer.”

He reckons the rumours have mostly come from social media, calling it “the power of social media”. Though he still thinks it does more good than harm overall.

At the moment, the Rhode Island Medical Examiner’s Office is working to properly identify the remains. But no link has been made to any of the other cases.

Could there really be a New England serial killer?

According to criminologist James Alan Fox, it’s not likely. Speaking to Northeastern Global News, Fox said the victims don’t share enough in common, things like age, gender or location, to point to a single killer.

“There’s no pattern to the dump sites,” he said. “Serial killers usually stick to familiar areas. Most kill close to home or work, not across multiple states.”

He added that many serial killers have jobs and families, so they don’t travel far or often. “They kill part-time, if you like. There’s no time to roam around looking for victims.”

Why are people convinced it’s a serial killer?

via Boston 25 News

It’s mainly the numbers. 13 bodies in just over two months, spread across three states, have understandably caught people’s attention. So far, six victims have been identified as female and three as male. The other four haven’t been confirmed yet. Their identities and ages are still unknown. So, that paired with locations like quiet seaside towns and fancy neighbourhoods, has made it feel a bit eerie.

Online theories have been fuelled even further by the fact that this latest discovery happened so close to Taylor Swift’s Watch Hill mansion and a nearby five-star resort. But so far, police haven’t found anything to suggest the cases are connected, and no suspects have been named.

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