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Northwestern District Attorney's Office

Police & Fire
Weekend Wreck In Western Mass County Third Fatal In 3 Days Weekend Wreck In Western Mass County Third Fatal In 3 Days
Weekend Wreck In Western Mass County Third Fatal In 3 Days A 51-year-old man was killed in the third fatal wreck in the Western Massachusetts county in as many days, authorities said.  In Hampshire County, the Belchertown man was the only person in the vehicle when it crashed on Sunday, July 21, around 7:45 p.m. on Washington Street in Belchertown, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said. Police are investigating what led to the wreck.  The man's name has not been released as authorities notify his family.  The crash was the third in Hampshire County over 72 hours.  Jose M. Soto, a 62-year-old Springf…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Remains Of Woman Found In Western Mass Woods Identified After 35 Years Remains Of Woman Found In Western Mass Woods Identified After 35 Years
Remains Of Woman Found In Western Mass Woods Identified After 35 Years The remains of a 65-year-old woman whose body was found in a wooded area in Franklin County have been identified thanks to new advancements in DNA testing. How she ended up there remains a mystery, but prosecutors have a person of interest.  Constance Holminski Bassignani was found not far off the road on Route 76 in Warwick on June 24, 1989. She had been living in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, with her husband, William Bassignani.  Constance was last seen alive on Memorial Day in 1989. Soon after, her husband told friends she had moved back to her native Hawaii, but investigator…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Man Gets 8 Years In Prison For Botched Kidnapping, Shooting In Western Mass: DA Man Gets 8 Years In Prison For Botched Kidnapping, Shooting In Western Mass: DA
Man Gets 8 Years In Prison For Botched Kidnapping, Shooting In Western Mass: DA A Connecticut man who tried to kidnap a Western Massachusetts man at gunpoint on New Year's Eve 2022, but shot him instead when the man fought back, will serve eight years behind bars, authorities said.  New Haven County Marc A. Veturis, 29, of Waterbury, pleaded guilty on Thursday, March 28, to multiple felonies linked to the shooting, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said.  The charges come from a Hampshire County incident on Mill Valley Road in Hadley.  The Daily Hampshire Gazette reported at the time that the victim, a 59-year-old Hadley business owner, h…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Dad Who Poisoned Daughter, 7, In Western Mass Will Not Get New Trial: DA Dad Who Poisoned Daughter, 7, In Western Mass Will Not Get New Trial: DA
Dad Who Poisoned Daughter, 7, In Western Mass Will Not Get New Trial: DA A Massachusetts appeals court has upheld the 2020 conviction of a Hampshire County father who was found guilty of injecting his 7-year-old daughter with liquid drain cleaner, authorities said. She survived the assassination attempt. Christopher Conley, of Northampton, who is serving a 16 to 18-year prison sentence, filed a petition for a new trial saying that the judge erred in allowing the jury to hear evidence that he'd previously attempted to poison the girl, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said. He was arrested in April 2015 after his daughter was admitted to Yale New&n…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Driver Who Killed 2 In Western Mass Avoids Jailtime — With Stipulations: DA Driver Who Killed 2 In Western Mass Avoids Jailtime — With Stipulations: DA
Driver Who Killed 2 In Western Mass Avoids Jailtime — With Stipulations: DA A 65-year-old man accused of crashing into and killing a couple in Hampshire County last year admitted to his role in their deaths on Wednesday, Oct. 25. He will avoid going to jail if he meets the judge's conditions.  Stuart A. Larkin, 65, of South Hadley, pleaded guilty to two counts of negligent motor vehicle homicide in the deaths on Northampton Road (Route 10) in Easthampton, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said.  Northampton District Court Judge Jacklyn Connly said that Larkin showed remorse for the killings and had cooperated with investigators at every turn. Fo…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Connecticut Man Held Without Bail In Hadley New Year's Eve Shooting: DA Connecticut Man Held Without Bail In Hadley New Year's Eve Shooting: DA
Connecticut Man Held Without Bail In Hadley New Year's Eve Shooting: DA A 28-year-old Connecticut man accused of shooting a Hadley man on New Year's Eve will be held in jail until a court can decide if he poses a threat to the community if given bail, authorities said.  Marc Veturis, age 28, of Waterbury, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday, Jan. 11, to charges of armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery by discharging a firearm, attempted kidnapping, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition and unlawful possession of a loaded firearm, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said.  Officia…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Police ID Shelburne Falls Woman, 48, Killed In Greenfield Head-On Collision Police ID Shelburne Falls Woman, 48, Killed In Greenfield Head-On Collision
Police ID Shelburne Falls Woman, 48, Killed In Greenfield Head-On Collision A 48-year-old Shelburne Falls woman died Thursday morning, Nov. 18, after her truck hit a patch of black ice on Route 2, which sent her skidding into oncoming traffic, authorities said.  Connie Francis Rogers lost control of her Nissan Frontier around 7 a.m. near the Home Depot on Mohawk Trail in Greenfield, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said in a news release. She slammed into another car in the oncoming lane, but that driver was not injured.  The crash caused police to shut down Route 2 for three hours, and detectives are still investigating the caus…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Man Killed In Western Mass Garage Fire Was On Trial For Child Sex Abuse: DA Man Killed In Western Mass Garage Fire Was On Trial For Child Sex Abuse: DA
Man Killed In Western Mass Garage Fire Was On Trial For Child Sex Abuse: DA A 47-year-old man who died in a Western Massachusetts garage fire over the weekend was on trial for child sex abuse in Greenfield District Court, authorities said. Franklin County resident William Willey, of Montague, was killed in a two-alarm fire that tore through a garage at 90 East Street in Northfield on Sunday, Nov. 13, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office reports.  The space was rented by Willey, whose body and car were found on the property. The fire required support from several neighboring fire departments and Willey was the sole victim of the incident, as previously repor…

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by David Cifarelli
Police & Fire
Western Mass Man Who Said His Name During Armed Robbery Gets 8 Years In Prison: DA Western Mass Man Who Said His Name During Armed Robbery Gets 8 Years In Prison: DA
Western Mass Man Who Said His Name During Armed Robbery Gets 8 Years In Prison: DA A 24-year-old Amherst man learned the hard way that saying your name while robbing someone you know defeats the purpose of a mask, officials said.  Oscar Garcia Alvarado pleaded guilty to a 2019 armed robbery, and a judge sentenced him to between seven and eight years in prison on Thursday, Oct. 6, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said.  Alvarado and another man who police have not identified broke into an Amherst man's apartment on Nov. 14, 2019, while he was playing video games with friends online, police said. The duo carried a pistol and a rifle and covered their fa…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
ID Released For Woman, 53, Killed In Western Mass Crash ID Released For Woman, 53, Killed In Western Mass Crash
ID Released For Woman, 53, Killed In Western Mass Crash Authorities have identified a 53-year-old woman who died in a two-car crash in Western Massachusetts over the weekend as Rebecca Whitehead of Winston-Salem, NC.  The Franklin County crash happened in Ashfield at the intersection of Pleasant Street and Route 116  around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said.  Whitehead died at the scene of the crash around 6:10 p.m., the office continued. No one else in her vehicle.  The driver of the other vehicle involved, a 22-year-old man from East Longmeadow, was t…

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by David Cifarelli
Police & Fire
Woman, 53, Killed In Western Mass Crash Woman, 53, Killed In Western Mass Crash
Woman, 53, Killed In Western Mass Crash A 53-year-old woman from North Carolina was killed in a two-car crash in Western Massachusetts over the weekend, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said. The Franklin County crash happened in Ashfield at the intersection of Pleasant Street and Route 116  around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10, the office said. The woman died at the scene of the crash around 6:10 p.m., the office continued.  The driver of the other vehicle involved, a 22-year-old man from East Longmeadow, was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, the office said. No other injuries w…

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by David Cifarelli
Police & Fire
IDs Release For Pedestrian Duo Killed By Car In Western Massachusetts IDs Release For Pedestrian Duo Killed By Car In Western Massachusetts
IDs Release For Pedestrian Duo Killed By Car In Western Massachusetts Editor's Note: A previous version of this article said the involved driver was from Hadley. That information has since been corrected.  Authorities have identified the two people who were recently hit and killed by a car in Western Massachusetts as Edward O. Hanlon Jr., age 81 and Ilona L. Murray, age 60. The incident occurred on Northampton Road (Route 10) near the Burger King in Easthampton, around 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 2, Northwestern District Attorney's Office reports.  Both victims were Easthampton residents. The driver of the involved vehi…

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by David Cifarelli
News
2 Pedestrians Struck, Killed By Car In Western Massachusetts 2 Pedestrians Struck, Killed By Car In Western Massachusetts
2 Pedestrians Struck, Killed By Car In Western Massachusetts Two people have died after they were hit by a car in Western Massachusetts Tuesday evening, Aug. 2, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office reports. The 81-year-old man and 60-year-old woman were killed in the crash that occurred on Northampton Road (Route 10) near the Burger King in Easthampton, the office reports. Both victims lived in Easthampton. The driver of the involved vehicle, a Hadley man, stayed on scene and worked with police. The cause of the accident is under investigation.

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by David Cifarelli
News
Western Mass Father Pleads Not Guilty To Infant Son's Death By Adult Sleep Medication Western Mass Father Pleads Not Guilty To Infant Son's Death By Adult Sleep Medication
Western Mass Father Pleads Not Guilty To Infant Son's Death By Adult Sleep Medication A father from Western Massachusetts has pleaded not guilty to several charges in connection with the death of his 4-month-old son almost three years ago, the Northwestern District Attorney's office said.  Isaac Villalobos, formerly of Amherst, is facing several charges after allegedly gave he after his infant son a lethal dose of adult sleep medication on September 15, 2019, the office reports.  After being indicted by a Grand Jury, Villalobos was arrested last week in Maryland and brought back to Massachusetts on Thursday, July 14, the office reports.  The charges…

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by David Cifarelli
Police & Fire
One Killed In Western Mass Crash One Killed In Western Mass Crash
One Killed In Western Mass Crash One person was killed during a single-vehicle crash in Western Mass. It happened in Hampshire County around 5 p.m. Monday, May 2 in Belchertown. When officers responded to the scene at 606 North Washington St., the driver, the only occupant, was pronounced dead at the scene, said the Belchertown Police. The identity of the victim is not being disclosed at this time. The crash is under investigation by the Belchertown Police, the state police, and the Northwestern District Attorney's Office. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
ID Released For Driver Killed In Western Mass Crash ID Released For Driver Killed In Western Mass Crash
ID Released For Driver Killed In Western Mass Crash A Western Massachusetts man who died in a single-car crash has been identified by police. Hampden County resident Gabriel Morales, 25, of Springfield, was killed around 2 a.m., Thursday, March 24 in Hampshire County in Hadley, said Laurie Loisel, spokeswoman for the Northwestern District Attorney's Office. The crash occurred after Morales lost control of his vehicle and hit a tree near a sharp curve in the vicinity of 143 Mill Valley Road, Loisel said. See Earlier Story: Driver Dies After Crashing Into Tree In Hadley He was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel,…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Driver Dies After Crashing Into Tree In Western Mass Driver Dies After Crashing Into Tree In Western Mass
Driver Dies After Crashing Into Tree In Western Mass A Western Massachusetts man was killed when his vehicle left the road striking a tree, officials said. The crash occurred in Hampshire County shortly before 2 a.m. Thursday, March 24 in Hadley. Prior to the crash, a Hadley Police officer observed the vehicle make a wide turn onto Mill Valley Road from Route 9, briefly leaving the roadway and driving over grass, said Laurie Loisel, spokeswoman for the Northwestern District Attorney's Office. The officer attempted to catch up to the vehicle, and then observed it fail to stop at the stop sign at the intersection of Mi…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
UMass Student Seriously Injured In Hit-Run Crash UMass Student Seriously Injured In Hit-Run Crash
UMass Student Seriously Injured In Hit-Run Crash Police are appealing to the public for help in finding the driver of an SUV who failed to stop after striking a student on the UMass Amherst campus. The incident took place around 10:15 p.m. Monday, March 21, as the 20-year-old man was walking in a crosswalk, said Laurie Loisel, spokeswoman for the Northwestern District Attorney's Office. According to police investigators, the student was crossing Massachusetts Avenue in a crosswalk near Sunset Avenue, having nearly reached the other side, when a white or silver-colored SUV traveling eastbound at a high rate of spee…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
12 Nabbed In Connection To Cocaine Trafficking Operation In Region 12 Nabbed In Connection To Cocaine Trafficking Operation In Region
12 Nabbed In Connection To Cocaine Trafficking Operation In Region A months-long investigation involving several law enforcement organizations led to the arrest of a dozen people in connection with an alleged cocaine trafficking operation operating throughout Western Massachusetts. A dozen people from Greenfield, Deerfield, Montague, Ludlow, Charlemont, and West Springfield were arrested in connection with the enterprise, said Laurie Loisel, with the Northwestern District Attorney's Office.  The group was busted on Tuesday, Dec. 14, when members of the Northwestern District Anti-Crime Task Force coordinated the simultaneous executi…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Woman Charged After Bicyclist Killed In Crash In Region Woman Charged After Bicyclist Killed In Crash In Region
Woman Charged After Bicyclist Killed In Crash In Region A Western Massachusetts woman who struck and killed a bicyclist will face charges of negligent motor vehicle homicide, authorities said. Hampshire County resident Haley Kelly-Sherette, age 23, of Williamsburg, will be arraigned Friday, Nov. 5 in connection with the death of 69-year-old Charles Braun.  The investigation revealed Kelly-Sherette failed to stop for a stop sign as she used Facetime while driving, said Laurie Loisel, director of communications for the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office. Braun, of Northampton, who was bicycling west on Elm Street, passing…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
ID Released For Bicyclist Struck, Killed By Car At Intersection In Region ID Released For Bicyclist Struck, Killed By Car At Intersection In Region
ID Released For Bicyclist Struck, Killed By Car At Intersection In Region Police have released the ID of a bicyclist who was struck and killed crossing a busy intersection in Western Massachusetts. Officers from the Northampton Police Department in Hampshire County said that local resident Charles Braun was riding his bike near the intersection of Woodlawn Avenue and Elm Street at approximately 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 6 when he was struck by a car. Braun was transported to Corey Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, where he was later pronounced dead. Police noted that the 23-year-old driver, from Haydenville in Hampshire County, remained at the scene and coo…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Bicyclist Struck, Killed By Car At Intersection In Region Bicyclist Struck, Killed By Car At Intersection In Region
Bicyclist Struck, Killed By Car At Intersection In Region A 69-year-old bicyclist was struck and killed by a driver crossing a busy intersection in Western Massachusetts, police said. Officers from the Northampton Police Department in Hampshire County said that a cyclist was riding his bike near the intersection of Woodlawn Avenue and Elm Street at approximately 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 6 when he was struck by a car. The man was transported to Corey Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, where he was later pronounced dead. Police noted that the 23-year-old driver, from Haydenville in Hampshire County, remained at the scene and cooperated during t…

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by Zak Failla