MA MA - New Bedford Highway Killer (1988/89) *UNSOLVED*

[Pettibon Junction]

It's inconceivable to me that whoever this killer was wouldn't have been on police radar at some point. These types virtually always have priors.

 

[AgeofAquaruis]

Tavares’s bail on the assaults on the officers was originally set at $100,000 cash, but Superior Court Judge Kathe M. *Tuttman released him on personal recognizance, the Globe reported in 2007.
SMH. This so called justice ought to be disbarred. There is absolutely no reason at all for her have unleashed this *******. I hope the family members take out a lawsuit against her. She is after the Authority who wielded the power to keep him behind bars.

 

[The Farm]

I used to drive that peice of highway at least once a week when these bodies were being found.
Correct me if I am wrong but I remember for the longest time they were thinking that it might be a fisherman that came to the New Bedford port every now and then? Of course then he would leave for awhile and be off the radar.
Does anyone else remember that?

 

[AgeofAquaruis]

Suspect Daniel Tavares has been found guilty of killing Gayle Botelho.

www.abc6.com/story/30640856/tavares-found-guilty-of-1988-murder-of-fall-river-mother

http://articles.latimes.com/2007/dec/02/nation/na-tavares2
Unbelievable the worthless judge gave him carte blanche to kill again. I don't know how she can live with herself.

 

[Crazyjster]

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/article/20160517/NEWS/160519510

I don't have sources in front of me and I am going purely from memory but I swear I thought those were all tied to the Blackstone Valley killer-still unknown

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[Pettibon Junction]

I don't have sources in front of me and I am going purely from memory but I swear I thought those were all tied to the Blackstone Valley killer-still unknown

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Other than Jeffrey Mailhot, I’m not aware that there was a serial killer active in the BV. And Mailhot is way too young to have been responsible for the New Bedford crimes.


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[Crazyjster]

Other than Jeffrey Mailhot, I’m not aware that there was a serial killer active in the BV. And Mailhot is way too young to have been responsible for the New Bedford crimes.


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I'm not at a place where I can find the info but awhile back I am pretty sure either the Boston Globe or Herald did a story or active SKs in the area...maybe shortly after the one in CT was caught...the Blackstone Valley was named (I am assuming the I-90 corridor) and remember how often I used to drive it and how easy it would be to pick up people because of the truck stops/rest stops and due to the isolation

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[carbuff]

They were trying to link the New Bedford killings to the Skesny brothers out of Worcester for a while, but I don't think that went anywhere.

The Connecticut Valley serial killer was active just before that but I don't think there was any connection ever found.

 

[Pettibon Junction]

They were trying to link the New Bedford killings to the Skesny brothers out of Worcester for a while, but I don't think that went anywhere.

The Connecticut Valley serial killer was active just before that but I don't think there was any connection ever found.

The victimology in the Scesny case certainly matches and he's within the right age range, but geography would seem to be against him being the New Bedford killer. (Also, what's your source for his brother's alleged involvement? I'm not seeing that anywhere, and you've piqued my curiosity.)

As for the CT River Valley murders, you're looking at an entirely different victim profile as well as signature elements that are a decided non-match. Also, again, geography makes it even less likely and Scesny would be far too young to have been involved in those killings anyway.

 

[carbuff]

The victimology in the Scesny case certainly matches and he's within the right age range, but geography would seem to be against him being the New Bedford killer. (Also, what's your source for his brother's alleged involvement? I'm not seeing that anywhere, and you've piqued my curiosity.)

As for the CT River Valley murders, you're looking at an entirely different victim profile as well as signature elements that are a decided non-match. Also, again, geography makes it even less likely and Scesny would be far too young to have been involved in those killings anyway.

Post #7 in this thread for Joseph Scesny.

I meant I had seen articles speculating that the New Bedford killings and the CT Valley killings might be related, not that CT Valley had anything to do with either Skesny. Bad phrasing on my part. And I agree that a connection is unlikely.

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[Pettibon Junction]

Thanks. I didn't know that Joseph Scesny also had a record of criminal violence.

As far as I know, Daniel Tavares is still public enemy number one in this case. He's certainly hinted toward being involved, though it could just be jailhouse puffery. However, since he's a convicted killer who knew the area and would have been familiar with the world that the victims came from, he needs to be ruled out decisively. I'd also hope that efforts are being made to do the same with Anthony DeGrazia.

 

[MicheleT]

A new article
30 years later: Who is highway serial killer?

"But a book and a documentary have sparked new interest in the three decades-old case. “Shallow Graves” is by award-winning reporter Maureen Boyle and a multi-episode series, “The Highway Murders,“is tentatively scheduled for release next year by Aaron Cadieux, an independent film maker and video production specialist."

 

[CCJD]

I used to drive that peice of highway at least once a week when these bodies were being found.
Correct me if I am wrong but I remember for the longest time they were thinking that it might be a fisherman that came to the New Bedford port every now and then? Of course then he would leave for awhile and be off the radar.
Does anyone else remember that?

I was living in Mansfield, MA at the time and, of course, was very aware of the rising body count. I don't know if it was news reports or my (later) reading Carlton Smith's book but I seem to remember the theory that the killer might be a Merchant Marine. If memory serves, they may have looked at serial murders in other coastal locations, specifically WA/OR area with a Merchant Marine's travels in mind. I don't think anything ever came of it though.

How hard they looked at that theory is questionable. Pena set his sights on Ponte like a dog with a bone and never seriously looked in any other direction.

 

[carbuff]

Yeah, I remember hearing that, too. They were looking at some of the Virginia killings near Newport News, as well. I was told by a cop I knew at the time that the FBI had identified them as possibly connected, but nobody had the time or money to follow up. New Bedford was in pretty bad shape at the time, lots of organized crime and drugs, as I recall, so it wouldn't surprise me if it was never followed up on.

 

[FairLemonTree86]

New Bedford is still in very bad shape in relation to the heroine/opiate epidemic as of 2019. Gang activity is still prevalent but seemingly on the decline. To speak to the NB Highway killings, there is no new info/leads. There were 9 bodies found, 2 remain missing. In May 2009, the patio and driveway of a former residence of Kenneth Ponte were dug up by police with no reported findings. The same month Mr. Ponte was arrested for stealing 4 cans of sardines and a block of cheese from a local grocery store. Kenneth died the following year in his filthy NB apartment. Like many other cases of serial killers who hunt sex trade workers, it takes many bodies found before the police sit up and take notice of the missing. The same happened here in NB. Many of these victims were missing for months before being found, their bodies left to the elements and wild life and crucial evidence washed away. It’s a stain on NB, and it’s sad that so many of these victims left behind children and families who long for answers.

 

[FairLemonTree86]

Robert Brum would have been 23-25 at the time of the Highway Murders. Although it’s not impossible, it seems unlikely. He should be questioned all the same. Let’s keep in mind that the victims were addicts and/or prostitutes. Some knew each other as some of the victims frequented the same south end pub, The Whispers Pub, which is long closed down. Also the downtown bus terminal and weld square has long been a source of drug activity/prostitution hang out. It seems more likely that the victims of the NB highway killer went willingly, rather than being abducted and likely knew their killer. Many sex trade workers were aware of the strangulation proclivities of Antony “Tony” DeGrazia and referred to him as flat-nose or the boxer. I still feel the killer was a trucker or fisherman, but that’s just my opinion.
Also to address past comments about Robert Brum having a lot of Portuguese friends: NB is a large Portuguese community. Being from the area myself, it’s surprising to come across someone who isn’t even partly Portuguese. It’s a very irrelevant point in light of that.
I’ve yet to read Maureen Boyle’s book. I sourced my info from Killing Season by Carlton Smith.

 

[carbuff]

I'm not sure why you think Brum is unlikely because of his age? 23 is more than old enough to be a serial rapist escalating to serial killer.

 

[FairLemonTree86]

I'm not sure why you think Brum is unlikely because of his age? 23 is more than old enough to be a serial rapist escalating to serial killer.

You’re absolutely right. It’s a personal feeling, I guess, that it’s unlikely. From what I’ve gathered, the local prostitutes took notice of regular clients who took their encounters too far, like Tony DeGrazia. I feel a man in his early 20s would stick out. As I said in my past comments, it my opinion the killer was either a trucker or a fisherman. Who had knowledge of the area. Who knew what roads were less frequented and at what times of the night. Of course I could be completely wrong. It could be a younger man who just got lucky and didn’t get caught dumping bodies.

 

[carbuff]

You’re absolutely right. It’s a personal feeling, I guess, that it’s unlikely. From what I’ve gathered, the local prostitutes took notice of regular clients who took their encounters too far, like Tony DeGrazia. I feel a man in his early 20s would stick out. As I said in my past comments, it my opinion the killer was either a trucker or a fisherman. Who had knowledge of the area. Who knew what roads were less frequented and at what times of the night. Of course I could be completely wrong. It could be a younger man who just got lucky and didn’t get caught dumping bodies.

My view is skewed because Alex Skesny, who killed several women who had engaged in prostitution in Worcester and left their bodies not far from where I live, seems to have started violent rape in his teens. So I may be reading in more possibility than there really is.

p.s. Yes I know he wasn't convicted or even charged...but the killings stopped when he went to jail for a brutal rape...

 

[Tommy2step]

I have read both books about this case and they are excellent. I'm leaning toward DeGrazia for a few reasons- hatred of and extreme anger toward women, his girlfriend broke up with him and married someone else, he was the right age, was known to frequent Weld Square, knew the roads in and out of New Bedford well due to his jobs..in both books, some of his statements about women give some insight into his true motivations. In referring to prostitutes, he stated "they're the scum of earth...they're not human..." . If you don't see someone as human, it's not much of a leap to think you can do what you want to them.