Latest news with #JayBlodget
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man indicted in connection with deaths of men found near Salem Walmart
A 30-year-old man accused of killing two men who were found behind a Walmart in Salem was indicted this week, court records show. Jay Blodget, a homeless man who lived in a wooded area behind the store, was indicted on two counts of murder. The indictment is a procedural step moving Blodget's case from Salem District Court to Essex Superior Court. A superior court arraignment has not been set for Blodget. Few details have been revealed about the killings, but prosecutors have said the two men were found hidden under dirt and other 'materials.' Both had been stabbed and died of blunt force trauma, a prosecutor said during Blodget's arraignment in district court. The men killed have since been identified as Andrew Ross Guempel, 41, of Arizona, and Jonathan Thompson, 42, of Oregon. One of the men was found by a man walking his dog on April 23. Responding officers found the other man's body the same day. Prosecutors say Blodget 'made statements implicating himself in the two murders' after he was taken into police custody. Michael Phelan, an attorney representing Blodget, said he was 'cordial' and 'polite' in initial conversations. Blodget 'asked intelligent questions,' Phelan said, adding he planned to 'definitely explore whether there's [a] mental health issue.' About a week before Guempel and Thomspon were found, Blodget was arrested on a breaking and entering charge, after police say he used a hacksaw to enter a storage container near the Walmart. The woman who owned the container called Salem Police around 7:30 p.m. on April 17. She told police she was at the container to get some items, but heard a noise inside. Blodget then walked out of the container and offered money to the woman and her husband, but they refused and called police, according to court filings. Though he had a hacksaw and was therefore considered 'dangerous,' Blodget had no other weapons on him and apologized to the officers as he was put into handcuffs at the scene. 'Blodget stated that he got kicked out of the woods near Walmart and had no place to go,' the documents read. He had found the storage container while looking for somewhere to sleep, bought a hacksaw and cut off the locks, then brought a mattress in and started 'tossing things out' to make space, the documents read. Some jewelry was also missing from the container, which Blodget denied taking and said he had thrown it outside. During Blodget's arrest, police seized a green bicycle and all of the panhandling money Blodget earned, which totaled over $6,700, documents showed. Reading police ask for public's help after 12 cars were broken into, 2 stolen Dorchester teen accused of ramming Boston Police officer with moped Man found guilty of killing Mass. couple in drunken driving crash from 2021 Mass. couple to plead guilty to Ponzi scheme that netted more than $3.2 million Agreement reached in lawsuit over Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center assault Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Yahoo
D.A. identifies one of the two victims of fatal Salem stabbing
The Essex District Attorney has announced the identity of one of the two victims of the fatal Salem Stabbing. Andrew Ross Guempel, 41, was last known to reside in Arizona, was the first of two victims identified. This comes after two people were found dead in a body of woods next to a Salem Walmart on Wednesday, April 23. The accused killer, 30-year-old Jay Blodget, was arraigned in Salem District Court on Thursday, April 24. At this time, the identity of the second victim will not be released pending notification to their family. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Yahoo
Police allege accused killer broke into storage unit with hacksaw before 2 Mass. bodies were found
30-year-old Jay Blodget, according to court records, a homeless man, was arraigned in Salem District Court on Thursday on two counts of murder. On Wednesday afternoon, a dog walker called police after finding a body in woods next to a Salem Walmart. Investigators soon found a second body, both buried in dirt debris. And both murdered. 'We eventually found two individuals with apparent blunt force trauma and stab wounds,' prosecutor James Gubitose told the court. The prosecutor also said Blodget made statements implicating himself in the double murder. 'Do you know anything about these incriminating statements?' I asked Blodget's defense attorney, Michael Phelan. 'I don't,' Phelan said. 'I know they'll provide me with a 90-minute interview that he had a chance to speak to police.' Not much is known about Jay Blodget right now, but we know, about a week ago, he was arrested for breaking into a storage unit just across the street from where the double murder happened. Salem Police allege Blodget used a hacksaw to cut open the unit in an attempt to move himself in. Police say they recovered nearly $1,000 in cash, and that Blodget said he earned the money panhandling. Blodget was arrested and later released on personal recognizance. Tonie Singh, the owner of the storage unit, said that he is shocked over the new murder charges. 'I made a decision to hide my Easter Basket there and knowing that I sent my kids there on Sunday was just even more shocking,' Singh said. Salem Police Chief Lucas Miller said the two murders are an isolated case and that the perpetrator is behind bars. Jay Blodget was ordered held on no bail. He is due back in Salem District Court on May 28 for a probable cause hearing. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Yahoo
Man arrested in connection with two bodies found in Salem woods near Walmart
A 30-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the deaths of two people in Salem, whose bodies were found in the woods near a Walmart on Wednesday. Jay Blodget has been charged with two counts of murder and is scheduled to appear in Salem District Court for his arraignment on Thursday morning, according to the Essex County District Attorney's Office. Blodget was arrested after two men were found dead in the woods on Wednesday afternoon, according to the district attorney's office. Salem police had been called at around 2:20 p.m. to 450 Highland Ave. when a man walking his dog discovered one of the bodies. Officers soon found the bodies of two men, the district attorney's office said. Anyone with information about the deaths was asked to call Massachusetts State Police at 978-745-8909 or Salem police at 978-744-1212. Nigerian man pleads guilty to $10M pandemic unemployment fraud scheme Mass. VA doctor kept child sex abuse material on his phone in his office, feds say Mass. SJC allows journalist access to Harmony Montgomery audio records Parole granted for Mass. man who spent 42 years in prison for $7 robbery, shooting FBI analyst calls Hadley man's small stash of plutonium 'not that big of a deal'
