Human remains were found Wednesday in an upscale Rhode Island beach neighborhood as concerns about a potential serial killer in New England continue to plague the region.
A human leg bone was reportedly found on a beach path off Everett Avenue in Watch Hill, a wealthy coastal enclave in the town of Westerly, according to WJAR. The remains were found just a stone’s throw from pop megastar Taylor Swift’s beachside mansion in the town.
The remains were transferred to the Rhode Island Medical Examiner’s Office for further investigation.
Taylor Swift’s swanky mansion in the Watch Hill neighborhood of Westerly, Rhode Island. (Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
WJAR reported that foul play is not suspected.
The Westerly Police Department declined to comment. The Rhode Island State Police did not return a comment request.
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Watch Hill is an affluent coastal neighborhood in the town of Westerly, Rhode Island. (Getty Images)
The discovery marks the 13th body or set of remains that have been discovered in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts since the beginning of March, sparking online chatter about a potential serial killer.
Five bodies have been found in Massachusetts, five in Connecticut and now three in Rhode Island.
Two of the bodies were found in the small town of Taunton, Massachusetts.
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Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts. (Getty Images)
A former FBI agent told Fox News Digital earlier this month that authorities in the region have not released enough information to the public in order to quash the rumors.
“From what I’ve seen or heard, first and foremost, not enough is being put out there, so we’ll continue to create that serial killer idea,” Scott Duffey said.
However, Duffey said he does not believe there is sufficient evidence to merit serial killer claims.
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“But at the same time, nothing has been said to make any type of connection [between victims],” he said. “And so that’s what leads me down to … let law enforcement continue to answer the questions that they need to answer. But nothing that I have seen would arise to a serial killer [being] responsible for any or most of these people who have been found.”
One man, Donald Coffel, 68, was arrested in connection with the murder of one of the victims, Suzanne Wormser of Groton, Connecticut.
Donald Coffel appeared virtually for a hearing from a hospital because he has cancer. (FOX 61)
Wormser was Coffel’s roommate, and she was found dismembered and stuffed into a suitcase in March, stemming from what police said was an argument over crack cocaine.
Friday, Coffel died in the Corrigan Correctional Center, according to NBC Connecticut. At the time of his arrest, Coffel reportedly told police that he was in a lot of pain from cancer.
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Fox News’ Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.
