MA MA - Molly Bish, 16, Warren, 27 Jun 2000

[hmg]

New leads in Molly Bish case:
A man living in FL, Rodney Stanger, is being questioned in connection with the murder of Molly Bish.

Stanger murdered his girlfriend, who reportedly told her sister that he may be responsible for two unsolved murders in Massachusetts. Stanger was known to abuse his wife and daughter while he lived in Southbridge, MA just minutes from Warren, the town Molly was abducted from. He also bares a strong resemblance to sketches of a POI in the case.

The other unsolved murder being referred to may be Holly Piirainen, who was abducted from Sturbridge (next to Southbridge) and was found in Brimfield in 1993. Police are reluctant to comment on this connection however.

http://www.necn.com/Boston/New-England/2009/01/28/New-lead-being-investigated-in/1233185594.html

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/01/detectives_in_molly_bish_case.html?category=Crime

 

[hmg]

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/01/detectives_in_molly_bish_case.html?category=Crime

This article implies that Stanger may actually be involved in two unsolved Massachusetts murders. The other case is suspected to be the murder of Holly Piirainen, who was abducted from Sturbridge (the town neighboring Southbridge where Stanger is from) and whose remains were discovered in Brimfield in 1993. Police are reluctant to comment on the connection but Stanger reportedly told his girlfriend he was involved in two unsolved cases.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

He is looking very good for this. I think the sketch does look like him and I think if they can prove he colored his hair and was in the area...with other evidence...they may have this one closed. I pray for her family this is the case. This one has really always troubled me.

 

[Bobbisangel]

I wish I thought the POI looked like the sketch, but I don't.

I am VERY hopeful, however, that Molly will receive justice at last. The fact that this man was so familiar with the area, that he was IN the area at the time, that his girlfriend mentioned Molly to her sister and the fact that he is now accused of murdering his girlfriend all make a strong case for a vigorous investigation.

Oh, I think it looks just like him only he is older now. I hope he is the one so that the Bish family can finally know what happened to Molly. She was such a cute girl. I would hate to think that that man's ugly face was the last thing my daughter saw. He really is creepy. His girlfriend must have known about Molly's murder. I thought the video said that she whispered into the phone..."murders." I wonder if that was as she was dying and she had the chance to dial 911 before she died. Anyone know?

 

[Texas Mist]

I'm so glad to hear there is a new lead in this case! I first read of this case at crimenews2000.com when it broke & have hoped for years it could be closed.

I am crossing my fingers that they've finally found the sicko perp who took away her beautiful life & all her hopes & dreams.

 

[nursebeeme]

I just feel in my bones that it is him.

 

[Mr. E]

Surely there is a picture of him from that time period that can be published for comparison.

 

[Carla Lashelle]

Here is his mug shot...

http://failblog.org/2009/02/02/mugshot-fail/

 

[ZooKeeper]

Thanks for the post DBin....I have followed this story from day one, but missed this while being sick for a few days. I hope he is the person the family/LE has been looking for so that some closure can finally come for this family. He looks like a good match to me.

 

[LillyRush]

Thanks for sharing this amazing news, DBinMA, and others who shared the local links. I do think he looks like the sketch. I have been following Molly's case since I first discovered crime discussion boards, which was 6 years ago. It is one of those unsolved disappearances that has always stayed on my mind. I hope this is the break they have been waiting for!

 

[fran]

IMHO, there's way too many 'circumstances' pointing to this guy being the perp, to ignore. In addition, I wonder if he's connected to any other disappearances/murders in that area?

Does anyone recall, a few years ago while looking at the Bish case, we talked about a string of disappearances or murders of young girls in towns that started with "W?" This would be in Mass, as well.

fran

 

[hmg]

The "W" motif was that women were attacked near water in wooded areas in town names starting with W. The towns were Wales, Weymouth, Westwood, and Walpole. Only Wales is close to Warren.

The woman who brought this suspect to investigators attention claims that Stanger is also responsible for the disappearance of Holly Piirainen from Sturbridge in 1993. She has submitted evidence regarding both cases but apparently police are hesitant to connect him with that case as well.

 

[future criminologist]

I really want Molly's and Holly's cases to be solved, and I do think it's the same person who took Sarah Pryor - it has to be - they should be investigating him for that as well.

Molly's and Sarah's cases are so similar - they found so little of them, years later. whoever killed Molly was definitely someone who had done it before.

 

[hmg]

I really want Molly's and Holly's cases to be solved, and I do think it's the same person who took Sarah Pryor - it has to be - they should be investigating him for that as well.

Molly's and Sarah's cases are so similar - they found so little of them, years later. whoever killed Molly was definitely someone who had done it before.

If the "W" situation is real that would be interesting because Sarah Pryor was from Wayland. Also, law enforcement thinks its a very likely possibility that Catherine Ruth Malcolmson of Stowe (not a W obviously) was taken by the same person who kidnapped and murdered Sarah Pryor.

 

[NSC]

Wow, this is amazing!! I think the mugs are exact! Look at the tip of the nose - just showing from different angles is all!!

 

[hmg]

WARREN - A former Southbridge man who has been questioned by police investigating the death of 16-year-old Molly Anne Bish has been found competent to stand trial in Florida in the death of his longtime girlfriend.

The defense lawyer for Rodney A. Stanger, 60, of Summerfield, Fla., declined comment on the Bish case.

"It's not my case. I'll let the evidence technicians do their job," said William A. Miller, chief assistant public defender for Marion County, Fla.....

Although Stanger is not being identified by authorities as a suspect in the Bish case, his ex-wife Deborah M. Stanger, 55, now a resident of Duluth, Minn., and Thomas P. Shamshak, a private investigator who is a longtime friend of the Bish family, said there are links between the Bish case and Stanger that are hard to miss.

Deborah Stanger and Shamshak said that Stanger used to go fishing at Comins Pond and that he hunted in the area near the Palmer-Warren town line where Bish's remains were found.

Shamshak said interviews he has done indicate that Rodney Stanger left Southbridge for Florida about a year after Bish disappeared. Records from the Worcester Registry of Deeds indicate Stanger owned property at 282 Everett St. in Southbridge from 1976 until he sold it in June 2001 for $119,000."

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/02/man_questioned_in_death_of_mol.html

I'm glad he was declared fit for trial, regardless of whether or not he killed Molly Bish he sounds like a real sicko who most likely murdered his girlfriend, abused an infant, and murdered his own pets.

 

[rpipergirl]

I remember when Holly was kidnapped and killed. My mom met her family at bingo and got a ribbon witch I still have. This man might be connected to her as well. Here is a link to an interview with Holly's mom. http://www.necn.com/Boston/New-England/Family-of-Holly-Piirainen-have-renewed-hope-

 

[Tonia]

Brother of man questioned in Molly Bish case arrested

Police in Florida arrested the brother of the man being questioned in the murder of 16-year-old Molly Bish.

Nine years after the disappearance and murder of the Warren lifeguard, sources tell 7News Massachusetts authorities plan to question Randy Joseph Stanger, 54, who was arrested on unrelated drug charges.

http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO107076/

 

[gaia227]

Bumping. I guess there hasn't been any new news. I always thought the other suspect - Robert Burno - looks more like the composite sketch than Stanger. They both fit the profile and they both has interesting ties to the area.

 

[future criminologist]

bumping. it's been almost a year since Rodney Stanger was identified as a person of interest in Molly's case. I'm hoping someone who is close to the case will update us on what is happening with that lead, or with Mr. Stanger's current court case? (he is on trial for murdering his girlfriend I believe). Thanks.