Rhode Island police chief rejects serial killer theory after human remains found near Taylor Swift's mansion
The top cop in a Rhode Island beach town says there is no connection between human remains found Wednesday and online fears of a serial killer in New England.
"As far as I'm concerned, as far as right now, this has nothing to do with any serial killer [or] any New England murderer," Westerly Police Chief Paul Gingerella told Fox News Digital Friday.
The remains were found in the wealthy coastal enclave of Watch Hill, part of the town of Westerly, Rhode Island, just down the beach from a sprawling mansion owned by pop superstar Taylor Swift.
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A five-star beach getaway, the Ocean House, a luxurious resort on the Watch Hill bluffs overlooking the sea, stands just a few miles away.
Gingerella attributed the serial killer fears to "the power of social media. Despite the rumors, he still thinks social media "has more benefits than negatives," he added.
The speculation has gripped New England after 13 bodies have been discovered in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts since the beginning of March.
Gingerella told Fox News Digital the Rhode Island Medical Examiner's Office is working to positively identify the remains.
Of the 13 bodies found, five have been found in Massachusetts, five in Connecticut and three in Rhode Island.
Six of the deceased have been identified as females and three as males. The sexes of the remaining four are unknown.
The age ranges of those identified also vary. Seven of the victims were older than 45, while two were between the ages of 25 and 44.
The discovery in Westerly comes three weeks after an unidentified male was found in the Seekonk River in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Westerly and Pawtucket are about 48 miles apart.
The first body found in Rhode Island was that of Michele Romano, found in the town of Foster in March, about 49 miles from Westerly.
Romano's family said her death is unrelated to any potential serial killer.
"In light of the recent comments being made, we know that Michele’s passing is in no way related to any type of serial killer," the family said when her remains were identified.
"We have complete faith in the Rhode Island State Police and our Private Investigator that the person responsible will be brought to justice sooner rather than later! We would appreciate it, if people on social media/news or other platforms would stop making false statements that our Michele is in any way the victim of a serial killer!!"
The Rhode Island State Police and the FBI did not respond to requests for comment.