MA - Barbara Hovey Novaes, 61, found dead in recycling container, Medford, May 23, 2022

[Yemelyan]

Authorities in Medford, Massachusetts, are investigating the death of a Medford woman after her body was found in an enclosed area behind her home.

The victim's son, who is in his 20s, called Medford police at about 6:40 a.m. to report that he could not find his mother after waking up. The young man said he last saw his mother at about 4:30 p.m. Sunday at the home, which they shared. He said he believed that at that time that she was going to leave the house to go to a nail appointment. A police officer later found her body in a recycling bin near a rear porch of her home, which is a duplex located near the campus of Tufts University.

Based on the circumstances and the location of the body, this is being investigated as a suspicious death. The district attorney announced that the victim's body had no obvious signs of trauma.

Mass. woman found dead in recycling container under porch of her home, DA says

"Based on the circumstances and the location of the body, this is being investigated as a suspicious death," the district attorney said.

www.wcvb.com

 

[Yemelyan]

The victim's Facebook page: Barbara Hovey Novaes

 

[formerlyme]

Very sad and yes suspicious. No signs of trauma ...

 

[Yemelyan]

An article from a few hours ago:
Investigators are asking anyone who may have been in the Emery Street neighborhood Sunday night or early Monday to contact them. Detectives are also looking to speak with anyone who may have video that would show the Emery Street area and down onto Winthrop Street. The Medford Police Department can be reached at 781-395-1212.

Police Step Up Patrols Amid Suspicious Death Investigation of Medford Mother

Police are increasing patrols in Medford, Massachusetts, as they continue to investigate the suspicious death of a woman who was found behind her home on Monday. Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said that Barbara Hovey Novaes, 61, of Medford, was first reported missing by her son around...

www.nbcboston.com

 

[bestill]

Thank you for creating a thread @Yemelyan! @waldojabba and I were both looking for a thread about Barbara.

 

[bestill]

Looks like the property is a duplex: https://gis.vgsi.com/medfordma/Parcel.aspx?pid=13176

 

[Yemelyan]

Wow, it looks like maybe she was getting ready to move...could hint at changing life circumstances/stressors for her or those who knew her who might be affected by this.

 

[bestill]

This is a tweet from a Reporter Bob Ward Boston 25, there was a restraining order put into place in May 8 but removed last week per this tweet

https://twitter.com/x/status/1529198840150118401

 

[Yemelyan]

Also worth noting....

When asked if police ever had contact with Novaes in the past, the district attorney said there had been prior contact with the Medford Police Department for a variety of reasons. Ryan did not elaborate.

Medford Woman Found Dead Behind Her Home; Suspicious Death Investigation Underway: DA

A suspicious death investigation is underway in Medford, Massachusetts, after a woman was found dead behind her home, officials said. Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan held a press conference late Monday night and confirmed authorities were on scene all day Monday at an Emery Street...

www.google.com

 

[bestill]

Seems like a lot going on in her life during the last couple of weeks.

The rental posted is for half of the duplex? In that post it's described as 3 bedrooms and the city information says the entire duplex has 8 bedrooms.

 

[formerlyme]

Seems like a lot going on in her life during the last couple of weeks.

The rental posted is for half of the duplex? In that post it's described as 3 bedrooms and the city information says the entire duplex has 8 bedrooms.

it is possible she owned the whole duplex and rented one out, if students were renting it this is the time of year they would move.

 

[bestill]

it is possible she owned the whole duplex and rented one out, if students were renting it this is the time of year they would move.

That's what I'm thinking too. Hopefully there are camera's around her place.

 

[bestill]

More details about the calls to LE from the home:

Court paperwork reveals recent trouble at the address where a Medford woman was found dead

Boston 25 has been looking into city records, court records, and calls for police at the address where Barbara Novaes’ body was found at 21 Emery Street in Medford.

www.boston25news.com

Snipped by me:
Boston 25 has also confirmed at least four “calls for service” by Medford Police to 21 Emery Street Since November 2021.

Two were on the same day on November 16, 2021, for a “suicidal threat.”

The third was on April 21, 2022, for a disturbance. Further details were not available from police.

There was also a call for a disturbance on May 7, 2022 - the day after Barbara Novaes noted in court documents that she had been placed in fear of harm by Fernando Novaes. Further details about that call for service were not available from police.

Barbara Novaes then filed a request to withdraw the restraining order last Tuesday on May 17th.

 

[waldojabba]

Thank you for creating a thread @Yemelyan! @waldojabba and I were both looking for a thread about Barbara.

I created a page too as I did not find this one ! I just asked to have that one deleted. Thanks @Yemelyan

 

[waldojabba]

Wow, it looks like maybe she was getting ready to move...could hint at changing life circumstances/stressors for her or those who knew her who might be affected by this.

See tweet below Her children posted earlier yesterday about her being missing on several different sites. I believe the posts have been removed since the discovery by LE of her body
IMO my sense was that there could perhaps definitely be a change in her circumstances looming

https://twitter.com/x/status/1528913844965363713

 

[Lusitana]

So sad.

 

[waldojabba]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1529167953626898433

This tweet shows the rear of the house where her body was found

 

[Bostongirl]

I just joined Websleuths after a couple months of lurking, because this case is so close to home. Literally a mile from me. It started off as a plea to our neighborhood Facebook group someone looking for their mother and it escalated to this.

We were all making sure our doors and windows were locked, and I’ll admit to double checking the area around me when I got out of my car.

The facts of the case that have been released so far don’t make a whole lot of sense to me. EDIT: I’ve just seen some new info from the link tweet above from Boston25. More seems to be coming to light.

What happened between the time the son saw her at 4pm and 6 am the next day. Was he out of the house & came back & fell asleep before this all happened? Can you imagine waking up to an open door and your mother missing? From my experience, these recycling bins are not quiet. It’s been warm and we’ve all had windows open. How would the bin have been moved to its location without alerting someone?

I do not know this woman or her family, but I am praying for them all. I hope the case can be solved quickly.

 

[bestill]

I created a page too as I did not find this one ! I just asked to have that one deleted. Thanks @Yemelyan

Thank you too! At least you've learned how to do it now

 

[bestill]

I just joined Websleuths after a couple months of lurking, because this case is so close to home. Literally a mile from me. It started off as a plea to our neighborhood Facebook group someone looking for their mother and it escalated to this.

We were all making sure our doors and windows were locked, and I’ll admit to double checking the area around me when I got out of my car.

The facts of the case that have been released so far don’t make a whole lot of sense to me.

What happened between the time the son saw her at 4pm and 6 am the next day. Was he out of the house & came back & fell asleep before this all happened? Can you imagine waking up to an open door and your mother missing? From my experience, these recycling bins are not quiet. It’s been warm and we’ve all had windows open. How would the bin have been moved to its location without alerting someone?

I do not know this woman or her family, but I am praying for them all. I hope the case can be solved quickly.

Welcome!

BBM - I agree about the little that has been released. And I know how loud our bins are here too. Do you think that is where their bins were stored? I thought maybe she was taken to the bin and left there. I am curious about when recycling would have been picked up too. Leaving her in her recycle bin seems to me to be a rush decision.