Serial Killer Fears Stoked by 13th Body Found in Small Town

A chilling pattern of death is casting a long shadow over New England this summer.

The discovery of Adriana Suazo’s body in the woods outside Boston marks the 13th unexplained death in the region since March — and locals are sounding the alarm over what some believe could be the work of a serial killer.

Suazo, just 21 years old, was found lifeless along a wooded trail near 143 Central Avenue in Milton, Massachusetts, around 11:45 a.m. on Sunday. A passerby spotted her body and contacted authorities. The area is less than ten miles from downtown Boston.

“There were no visible signs of trauma,” confirmed the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office in a press release. The official cause of death is pending autopsy, though investigators say no foul play has been determined at this time.

But that hasn’t calmed fears.

A Growing List of the Dead

Suazo is now the 13th person found dead under strange or undetermined circumstances in the tightly knit New England corridor since early spring. Bodies have turned up in rivers, woods, parks, and even stuffed in suitcases.

The string of deaths includes:

• March 6: Paige Fannon, 35, found in the Norwalk River in Connecticut.
• Same day: A human skull located off Route 3 in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
• March 19: Suzanne Wormser, 58, dismembered in a suitcase in Groton, Connecticut. Her roommate was arrested but died in custody.
• March 25: Denise Leary, 59, found dead in New Haven.
• March 26: Michele Romano, 56, discovered in the woods in Foster, Rhode Island.
• April 9: Unidentified remains uncovered in Killingly, Connecticut.
• April 20: A body retrieved from the Seekonk River in Pawtucket.
• April 22: Meggan Meredith, 45, located near a bike path in Springfield, Massachusetts.
• April 27: Two bodies found the same day — one in Taunton, MA, another in the Connecticut River near Rocky Hill.
• May 30: Jasmine Wilkes, 34, found in Edgewood Park, New Haven.

With Suazo’s death, the number reaches an ominous 13 — a number that only stokes more anxiety.

Law Enforcement Pushes Back

Despite the pattern and proximity, authorities across the states involved have repeatedly rejected the theory of a serial killer.

“There is no forensic evidence linking these cases,” said Paul Mauro, a former NYPD inspector, during a Fox News appearance. “The human mind naturally looks for patterns in chaos, but we have to be cautious before jumping to conclusions.”

Mauro acknowledged the intensity of online speculation, but added: “We’ve seen this before. Separate cases get lumped together in the public imagination. It’s not always a conspiracy — sometimes, it’s coincidence.”

Still, that explanation hasn’t satisfied many New Englanders.

“This doesn’t feel random,” said Carlos Mendez, a local resident who attended a vigil for Suazo. “It feels like something dark is happening — and no one wants to say it out loud.”

Remembering Adriana Suazo

Suazo’s family is reeling from the loss. Her sister, Melanie Pizarro, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help with funeral costs.

“Adriana wasn’t just my sister — she was a firecracker,” Pizarro wrote. “She could walk into a room and change the whole mood. She loved hard, laughed loud, and made sure people felt it.”

A candlelight vigil was held Monday evening near the location where Suazo was found. Mourners left flowers, photos, and messages for the young woman many described as “radiant” and “unapologetically alive.”

The Bigger Picture

While police departments across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Maine continue to investigate each death individually, the sheer volume, timing, and geography of these cases have led many to ask: What is going on in New England?

“Even if it’s not a serial killer,” said Eliza Rothman, a criminology professor at the University of Southern Maine, “the fact that 13 bodies have appeared in three months — many in public or natural areas — should spark a deeper conversation about safety, mental health, and regional crime patterns.”

For now, residents are left in limbo — watching, waiting, and wondering if number 14 is coming.