Following the discovery of human reamains near Taylor Swift’s Rhode Island mansion, fears are growing about a rumored serial killer.
On Wednesday, May 14, police responded to Everett Avenue in the upscale Watch Hill neighborhood of Westerly, Rhode Island — only 0.3 miles from Swift’s iconic holiday home — after reports of possible human remains.
The Westerly Police Department confirmed the find, telling People that “what appeared to be a human leg bone” was recovered from the scene. The remains were taken to the Rhode Island Medical Examiner’s Office for further investigation.
“It’s just something very out of the ordinary for Westerly,” local resident Taylor Day told NBC10. “I would never expect anything like that — especially not in Watch Hill.”
While police have stated “no foul play is suspected at this time,” the bizarre discovery has sparked fresh panic across New England, where more than a dozen other human remains have been uncovered in recent months.
“Finding a leg is very suspicious,” Day added. “My mind immediately went to all the theories that are being thrown around. I’m more aware of my surroundings. I don’t go places that are kind of dim or where I could be alone. Just trying to stay out in public and be vigilant.”
The leg bone is now believed to be the 13th set of remains discovered since March. Cases span across Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, with victims found in rivers, wooded areas, and even inside a suitcase.
Here’s a timeline of what’s happened so far:
- March 6: 35-year-old Paige Aliehs Fannon was pulled from the Norwalk River in Connecticut.
- Same Day: A hunter found a human skull in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
- March 19: A woman’s body was discovered inside a suitcase near a Groton, CT cemetery.
- March 21: The decomposed remains of Denise Leary, 59, were recovered behind a New Haven home.
- March 25: 56-year-old Michele Romano’s body was found off Plainfield Pike in Rhode Island.
- April 9-10: Unidentified remains of a man aged 25–45 were discovered in Killingly, Connecticut.
- April 21: More human remains were spotted in the Seekonk River in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
- April 22: Meggan Meredith, 45, was found unresponsive on a Springfield bike path; her death is being treated as a homicide.
- April 23: Two men’s bodies were found in woods near a Walmart in Salem, Massachusetts.
- April 30: Stephan Myers, 39, was discovered behind a high school in Taunton, MA, dead from a gunshot wound.
And now, on May 14, suspected remains have surfaced mere steps from Swift’s home in Watch Hill.
Serial Killer Theory Takes Hold Online
The unnerving pattern of discoveries has fueled viral speculation about a serial killer operating across New England.
Facebook groups have exploded with theories, with one titled “New England Serial Killer” amassing more than 65,000 members before being renamed. Google Trends even showed a spike in searches for “New England serial killer” in April.
But police aren’t buying it.
“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,” Westerly Police Chief Paul Gingerella told Fox News digital.
Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni warned that viral speculation could hurt active investigations: “While online conversations around these incidents continue to grow, we urge the public to be mindful of the role that social media can play in spreading fear or misinformation.
“Unverified claims can compromise active investigations and contribute to a sense of chaos that does not reflect the full picture.”
Experts Weigh In: “No Pattern to the Dump Sites”
Despite public panic, criminologists aren’t seeing the hallmarks of a serial killer.
James Alan Fox, a criminologist at Northeastern University, explained to Northeatern Global News “Most serial killers have some commonality in their victims.
Usually it’s the sex, race, age or physical features of the victims. That’s not always true, of course, but they tend to have a particular preference for the victim type. But in these cases there are so many dissimilarities.”
“There’s no pattern to the dump sites,” he continued. “A lot of serial killers will have a particular dump site where they dispose of their bodies. So when police do find evidence from a serial killer, they tend to find multiple bodies because the killer feels comfortable about disposing of bodies in that location.”
He added: “More than 70% of serial killers kill in one locale, typically around their home or workplace or somewhere where they know the roads and the escape patterns.”
Investigations Ongoing
Former FBI instructor Scott Duffey urged the public to remain cautious: “Don’t let your guard down. Be aware of your surroundings… someone looking to take advantage of a vulnerable situation will do so.”
Peter Valentin, Chair of the Forensic Science Department at the University of New Haven, said some cases remain “curious,” noting: “There might have been paraphernalia suggestive of activity that is deemphasizing homicide (perhaps incorrectly) to the investigators.”
Authorities continue to insist there is no evidence connecting the string of deaths, and no known threat to the public.
