Murders in Massachusetts

In September 1992, 27-year-old Susan “Su” Taraskiewicz was building a life and career at Boston's Logan International Airport. A hardworking young woman from Saugus, Massachusetts, Su had earned a position in an industry where women were still fighting to be treated equally. But behind the scenes, trouble was brewing. Workplace tensions, allegations of harassment, and a hostile environment would b...

In February 2021, 23-year-old Sandra Birchmore was found dead inside her Canton, Massachusetts, apartment. She was pregnant, and her death was initially ruled a suicide. More than five years later, a former Stoughton police detective is standing trial in federal court, accused of murdering Sandra and staging her death to conceal years of alleged sexual exploitation. How did a young woman who dream...

Seven Lives Lost at Edgewater Technology On December 26, 2000, the day after Christmas, employees at Edgewater Technology in Wakefield, Massachusetts, returned to work expecting an ordinary day. Instead, their workplace became the scene of one of the deadliest mass shootings in Massachusetts history. Armed with a semiautomatic rifle, employee Michael McDermott opened fire inside the company's offi...

On an April evening in 1989, Marianne Lewis and her husband were headed into Boston for what appeared to be a special night at the theater. They would never make it to the show. Inside a Boston parking garage, Marianne was struck by a speeding car and left with catastrophic injuries. What initially appeared to be a horrific hit-and-run would remain largely unexplained for years. But this was no ac...

What begins as an ordinary youth hockey practice ends in tragedy when an argument over rough play erupts into a fatal confrontation between two fathers. On July 5, 2000, Thomas Junta and Michael Costin crossed paths at the Burbank Ice Arena in Reading, Massachusetts. After an initial scuffle was broken up, Junta left the rink—only to return minutes later. A second fight unfolded in front of nearly...

In 1996, sixteen-year-old Stephanie Santerre disappeared from a home in Groton, Massachusetts. At first, it appeared she had simply left after an argument. But as investigators began questioning the people closest to her, a far more disturbing story emerged—one involving a private diary, dangerous jealousy, and a betrayal from inside Stephanie’s own family. Nearly thirty years later, a landmark co...

Some tragedies happen without warning. Others leave behind difficult questions about whether they could have been prevented. In Part Two of our Murders in Groton series, we examine a case that shook this quiet New England community once again—one that raises important conversations about mental illness, domestic violence, warning signs, and the challenges families face when they desperately seek h...

Murders in Groton: When Tragedy Comes to a Quiet Town Part One: The Quadruple Homicide on Common Street Groton, Massachusetts, is known for its rolling farmland, historic homes, elite schools, and quiet New England charm. For generations, it has been a place where families built their lives believing they had found peace. On September 8, 2017, that peace was shattered. Inside a home on Common Stre...

The Disappearance of Melanie Melanson On October 27, 1989, fourteen-year-old Melanie Melanson vanished after attending a party in a wooded area near an industrial park in Woburn, Massachusetts. She never made it home. What began as a missing person case soon became one of Massachusetts' most haunting unsolved mysteries. Over the decades, investigators have followed countless leads, searched remote...

In October 2023, the quiet city of Gardner, Massachusetts became the center of a tragedy that continues to raise questions more than two years later. Thirty-year-old Breanne Pennington — a mother of four — was found murdered inside her Cherry Street home. Investigators say her husband, Aaron Pennington, fled shortly after the killing and has not been seen since. Despite extensive searches, nationa...

In October 2023, the quiet city of Gardner, Massachusetts became the center of a tragedy that continues to raise questions more than two years later. Thirty-year-old Breanne Pennington — a mother of four — was found murdered inside her Cherry Street home. Investigators say her husband, Aaron Pennington, fled shortly after the killing and has not been seen since. Despite extensive searches, nationa...

In the quiet, prestigious town of Andover, Massachusetts—where tradition, wealth, and privacy define everyday life—a brutal crime shattered the illusion of safety. John and Geraldine “Jack and Jeri” Magee were found murdered inside their home, leaving behind a case filled with unanswered questions. In Part Two of The Mansion Murders , the timeline begins to take shape. We examine the events as the...

In the quiet, prestigious town of Andover, Massachusetts—where tradition, wealth, and privacy define everyday life—a brutal crime shattered the illusion of safety. John and Geraldine “Jack and Jeri” Magee were found murdered inside their home, leaving behind a case filled with unanswered questions. In Part One of The Mansion Murders , we begin to unravel the timeline—and explore the allure and fab...