Massachusetts authorities are investigating the death of a woman found unresponsive off a bike path in Springfield on Tuesday.
According to Springfield Police Department spokesperson Ryan Walsh, officers were called to investigate an unresponsive individual near a bike path on Hall of Fame Avenue.
Upon arrival, officers discovered a woman who was pronounced dead shortly after.
The SPD Homicide Unit, led by Captain Trent Duda, is working on an unattended death case in collaboration with the @HampdenDA Murder Unit. An autopsy by the Medical Examiner is pending.
Valentin noted that Springfield police have not yet determined whether the woman’s death was a homicide.
A woman was found dead near a Springfield, Massachusetts, bike path on April 22. (John Greim/LightRocket )
Walsh expressed interest in the items found near the body, suggesting that there may be evidence hinting at a cause of death. He mentioned that the information released so far has been cautious, likely derived from official police statements, possibly to avoid speculation amidst the high level of attention given to suspicious deaths in the region.
At least four of the victims in these eight  cases — two in Connecticut, one in Rhode Island and now one in Massachusetts — have been identified as women. Police also believe the victim found in Killingly, Connecticut, was a woman in her 40s to 60s, though her identity has not been confirmed.
The New England Serial Killer Facebook group, which now has 65,300 members, has garnered more than 15,000 new members this month, as MassLive.com first reported.
Searches for “New England serial killer” on Google spiked around April 7, according to data from the search engine.
