Bum Alarm

THE BUM ALARM by Mike Colonna & ChatGPT FADE IN: EXT. LONG BEACH — SEVENTH & PCH — DAY Heat halos vibrate off asphalt. TRAFFIC chokes the intersection. A MILK CRATE. A cardboard sign: ARMY VET — ANYTHING HELPS. BOB PURNELL (60s), lean, sun-cut, eyes like rangefinders, posts up beneath a lamppost. He scans lanes the way a sniper scans tree lines. A BLACK DODGE CHARGER weaves, bass THUNDERING. The windows rattle. In the adjacent lane: a SILVER SEDAN, pristine, ribbon on the rearview. JOSEPH PARKIN (58), Marine posture, suit, boutonniere, white knuckles on the wheel. ON BOB — head tilts, listening. BOB (V.O.) Hear the jungle before you see it. Always. The light turns RED. The Charger skids. TIRES SCREAM. JAMES GONZALES (24) explodes out, ink up his neck, a TIRE IRON in hand. INTERSECTION — CONTINUOUS Gonzales SLAMS the sedan hood — BOOM. PARKIN steps out, palms raised. PARKIN Take it easy, son— WHACK! The tire iron arcs. Parkin STAGGERS. WHACK-WHACK! Ugly, wet impacts. Screams. A BABY cries. A PHONE lifts, filming. BOB half-steps forward... stops. He locks on the plate. INSERT — LICENSE PLATE: “7XR-L92” (or similar) Bob MOUTHS the plate, rhythm like a radio check. WHACK! Parkin crumples. Gonzales breathes hard, eyes VACANT. He jumps back into the Charger. PEELS OUT. A crown STICKER flashes on the rear glass. ROAR of ENGINE fading EAST. Bob’s jaw sets. BOB (semi-salute at Parkin) Hold fast. SIRENS swell. EXT. INTERSECTION — MOMENTS LATER OFFICER #1 checks Parkin’s pulse — grim. OFFICER #2 pushes the crowd. BOB I got the plate! OFFICER #2 Back up, sir— BOB (precise, firm, calls it out) Seven. X-Ray. Romeo. Lincoln. Niner. Two. The officer FREEZES, keys mic. OFFICER #2 (INTO RADIO) Broadcast: 7XR-L92, black Dodge Charger, eastbound Seventh. EXT. INTERSECTION — LATER Crime scene tape. YELLOW. Humming. DETECTIVE RUIZ (40s), suit defeating the heat, studies Bob. RUIZ You read it or you kept it? BOB Both. RUIZ You drinking? BOB Not yet. Ruiz almost smirks. Noted. RUIZ Anything else? Bob’s gaze tracks the lane where the Charger fled. BOB Passenger. Small shape. Long hair. And a sticker — white crown. Back glass. Driver wore a silver lion ring. Index finger. Ruiz clocks every word. RUIZ You just gave me a second camera angle. He tears a card, presses it into Bob’s hand. RUIZ (CONT'D) You sleep where? BOB Under PCH. Sea turtle mural. RUIZ Stay close, Mr. Purnell. EXT. UNDER PCH — NIGHT TENTS, pallet fires. The hum of freeway like distant rotors. WALT PURNELL (50s) — Bob’s younger brother, charming wreck — drops onto the curb, new backpack still wearing its SPIDER SECURITY TAG. WALT Heard you went siren on ‘em. Bum Alarm, baby. Bob stares at the darkness. BOB A man died. Walt’s grin falters. He nudges Bob’s shoulder. WALT Got a line on a door gig. A guy with a big watch needs statues. Two hours. Cash, sandwich. You and me. Bob listens past Walt. Beyond the freeway hum... a SCOOTER with a rattly chain passes above. BOB Chain’s off pitch. WALT That a yes? Bob doesn’t answer. EXT. BOB’S CORNER — DAY Ruiz arrives with COFFEE. Hands it over. RUIZ We popped your plate. James Gonzales. Debt to a local set. Word is, he’s been doing hits dressed as “rage.” There’s a name behind him — TÍO. We’ve never seen his face clean. Bob sips, watching traffic. BOB You want ears. RUIZ And a mouth no one notices. You in? A beat. A light turns green, the whole block exhales. BOB I’m in. Ruiz slides over a beater flip phone. RUIZ One number. Me. You feel heat, hang up. I’ll hear it anyway. EXT. LONG BEACH — VARIOUS — LISTENING MONTAGE — Bob on his crate. CROWN STICKERS on beaters glide by. — A kid in a DODGERS CAP whistles the same bar every day. — A HONDA CIVIC with a blown speaker taps 3-2 bass knocks at the donut shop. — A HAND with a LION RING raps change: ting-ting-ting... pause... ting. — Bob’s thumb brushes the PHONE. He DIALS. Short intel drops. Ruiz’s WALL fills with map pins and strings. EXT. UNDER PCH — NIGHT Walt bounces on his heels, wired. WALT Door gig’s tonight. Warehouse by the river. Dude called “Tío.” You coming or what? Bob’s eyes narrow. He turns away, dials. BOB (INTO PHONE) Warehouse. River. “Tío.” Tonight. RUIZ (V.O., FILTERED) Be a witness and live. Bob pockets the phone. Faces Walt. BOB I’m coming. EXT. RIVER WAREHOUSE ROW — NIGHT A slit of moon. Sodium lights buzz. A corrugated door half-open like a jaw. Inside: STRING LIGHTS sag. A dead forklift. Spray-painted CROWN, six feet tall. Men haul UNMARKED BOXES. A boy flips a KNIFE open-shut-open, CLICK-CLACK metronome. TÍO (50s?) emerges from shadow. Tie too formal, watch too heavy, face forgettable by design. On his INDEX: LION RING. He measures Bob and Walt. TÍO You stand. You see. You say if anything wrong comes. (to Walt) Face the street. (to Bob) Face me. Bob’s eyes catalog exits, head height, tool racks, footfalls. Vietnam muscle memory lights up. The BLACK CHARGER slides in. Engine idles low, like a growl swallowed. GONZALES climbs out. The PASSENGER door eases — a GIRL (19), bruised eye, hair curtaining shame. TÍO Where you been? GONZALES Here. TÍO You made music. Now uniforms know my song. Gonzales swallows. The girl stares at the floor. TÍO (CONT'D) (to the girl) Go home. Not his. Yours. She slips past Bob. For a breath, their eyes meet. She’s counting exits too. TÍO (CONT'D) (to Gonzales) You will fix what you broke. By dawn. Gonzales nods like a boy promised detention. He starts to go, cranks the stereo reflexively — BASS SWELLS — catches Tío’s look, kills it. The Charger ghosts out. Tío turns to Bob and Walt. Soft voice, harder message. TÍO (CONT'D) Come. INT. WAREHOUSE OFFICE — NIGHT Peeling calendar of a beach. Metal desk scarred with cigarette burns. Tío sits. Bob remains standing. TÍO If uniforms come because of you, you disappear. No song. Understand? BOB I hear you. Tío’s eyes flick to Walt — the leverage. Back to Bob — the fulcrum. TÍO Good listener. He gestures — dismissed. EXT. WAREHOUSE — DAWN First birds. River breath. Walt trembles as adrenaline drains. WALT We can’t— BOB We can. We will. Bob dials. Low, quick: BOB (INTO PHONE) Cars. Boxes. Crown. Lion. Gonzales out hunting witnesses by dawn. Office southwest corner. Loader bay chained. Third window painted shut. RUIZ (V.O., FILTERED) Copy. Sit tight. Don’t be a hero. Bob kills the call. Looks at Walt. BOB Be alive. EXT. SEVENTH & PCH — PRE-DAWN Gonzales’ Charger creeps along the curb — predatory. The corner is empty. He frowns. Floors it. INT. GONZALES’ CHARGER — MOVING — DAWN Phone BUZZ. Unknown text: a CROWN EMOJI + a CLOCK. He grimaces, U-TURNS. EXT. WAREHOUSE ROW — NIGHT LATER. Unmarked units black out. BOOTS hit gravel. A RAM pops the office door — CRACK! LAPD SWAT floods in. FLASH-BANG — BANG—WHUMP! Light devours darkness. Men cough, hands up. RUIZ threads through chaos, eyes on targets. RUIZ Hands! Hands! Don’t be brave! A RUNNER bolts down an aisle. Ruiz plants, BODY-SHOTS him into a crate — CRASH! Another suspect reaches for a drawer — TASER POP. Down. Office safe yawns open — CASH, LEDGERS, a PHONE with contacts labeled in emojis only. RUIZ (CONT'D) Bag it. All of it. No Tío. EXT. ALLEY — SAME A SHADOW — Tío — slips into a sedan and dissolves into city glow. EXT. UNDER PCH — DAWN Bob and Walt wait under concrete ribs. Sirens far away now, like thunder on a different shore. WALT We good? BOB We’re breathing. Walt pulls out a CARBURETOR he’s been tinkering with, proud boy again. WALT Shop on Anaheim’ll teach if you show up twice in a row. Boss says I’m good with jets. Bob eyes the part, its fluted precision. Nods. BOB Make it sing. EXT. SEVENTH & PCH — MORNING The corner wakes: coffee steam, bus brakes, dog walkers. A WOMAN in a green cardigan hands Bob a BAG and a NOTE. WOMAN He taught my son to parallel park. Thank you for hearing him. She goes. Bob opens the bag — sandwich. The note in a child’s scrawl: Thank you for hearing my grandpa. He tucks it next to the flip phone. The talisman beats the tech. Ruiz appears, bone-tired, jacket off. RUIZ Gonzales is in a box. He sang some, choked more. We crippled Tío’s arm, not the body. But the boys running errands? They’re gonna need jobs that don’t pay in funerals. He studies Bob — really sees him. RUIZ (CONT'D) I can get you a bed. Counselor’s good. No pressure. BOB Sheets are loud. Ruiz smirks, tips an invisible cap. RUIZ You ever want quieter loud, call me. He moves on. EXT. SEVENTH & PCH — LATER Midday shimmer. A BUS idles. A KID leans out a window. KID Bum Alarm! Bob SALUTES. The bus driver HONKS twice, friendly. A PICKUP with a dust-dulled CROWN STICKER rolls by. Bob clocks it, files it, lets it go. BOB (V.O.) Not every crown wears a king. A FATHER and SON in tuxes glide through the green, arguing cufflinks. The radio hums a wedding standard. No shouts. No iron. Bob exhales. The corner breathes with him. EXT. SHORELINE — SUNSET Bob and Walt stand ankle-deep. The Pacific chews orange into silver. WALT They’re naming that corner after Parkin. Little sign. Still. BOB Good. WALT You okay? Bob watches a wave break, rebuild, return. BOB Not where I was. Walt nods, kicks surf. For once, they let the silence be a bridge, not a wall. EXT. LONG BEACH — NIGHT City lights blink awake. Somewhere: a door closes on a warehouse. Somewhere else: a badge clicks onto a hook. The freeway hum is almost a lullaby. Back at the corner, Bob settles in. He adjusts the crate, squares the sign, sets his feet like a sentry. He listens. — A SCOOTER chain now true. — A HONDA’s 3-2 bass knocks shift to 2-2 — new code, new day. — Somewhere a PHONE goes up to film, then down to help. Bob’s eyes lift to the light. BOB (V.O.) Take the first thing. Hear it. Say it. Live. FADE OUT. TITLE CARD: THE BUM ALARM OVER BLACK: SUPER: “In memory of Joseph Parkin — Marine, father, neighbor.” CUT TO BLACK. THE END “The Bum Alarm” Logline: A former Army Vietnam Veteran now homeless help police solve a petty crime that accelerates into a murder for hire investigation. A homeless man panhandling on a busy intersection in Long Beach, California helped police solve the fatal beating by a group of gangbangers over a road rage incident. Synopsis: Bob Purnell was a fixture on the corner of Seventh Street and Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach. After his release from the Army after two stints in Viet Nam, Bob’s mental condition was questionable. His brother, also homeless, stood Bob Purnell, a homeless man, watched James Gonzales beat 58 year old retired Marine Joseph Parkin to death. Parkin a long time Long Beach resident tried to fight back but Gonzales used a blunt instrument to beat Parking to death. Gonzales got back in his car and sped off. Purnell memorized the assailants license plate and gave the tag number to police when they arrived at the scene. Police are searching for James Gonzales 24, for first-degree murder. The road rage that day started when Parkin, who lives in East Long Beach, was traveling to his son's wedding and pulled into a speeding car driven by Gonzales going east on Seventh street past Recreation Park Golf Course. Purnell could hear loud rap music coming from Gonzales car the music got his attention. He witnessed the entire incident from his corner location. “The Bum Alarm” “The Homeless Detective” Logline: A former Army Vietnam Veteran now homeless help police solve a petty crime that accelerates into a murder for hire investigation. A homeless man panhandling on a busy intersection in Long Beach, California helped police solve the fatal beating by a group of gangbangers over a road rage incident. Synopsis: Bob Purnell was a fixture on the corner of Seventh Street and Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach. After is release from the Army after two stints in Viet Nam, Bob’s mental condition was questionable. His brother, also homeless, stood FADE IN: EXT: LONG BEACH-MID MORNING-SEVENTH ST. AND BELLFLOWER Bob Purnell is sitting at the Jack-n-The Box across from his signature spot on Seventh and Bob Purnell, a homeless man watched James Gonzales beat 58 year old retired Marine Joseph Parkin to death. Parkin a long time Long Beach resident tried to fight back but Gonzales used a blunt instrument to beat Parking to death. Gonzales got back in his car and sped off with three other passengers. Purnell memorized the assailants license plate and gave the tag number to police when they arrived at the scene. Police are searching for James Gonzales 24, for first-degree murder. The road rage that day started when Parkin, who lives in East Long Beach, was traveling to his son's wedding and pulled into a speeding car driven by Gonzales going east on Seventh street past Recreation Park Golf Course. Purnell could hear loud rap music was coming from the Gonzales car the music got his attention. He witnessed the entire incident from his corner location. Tevin Thompson, one of the other teens in the car, testified that Dunn appeared "a bit upset" and immediately addressed them. Thompson, who was 17 at the time and sitting in the front passenger seat, testified that Dunn said, "Turn the music down. I can't hear myself think." Thompson testified that he turned down the music, but that Davis, who was sitting in the back, became angry and told him to turn the volume back up. He testified that Davis and Dunn got into a shouting match, with Davis yelling profanities at Dunn. Thompson said he heard Dunn say to Davis, "Are you talking to me?" and then he heard gunshots. "He aimed it towards Jordan's door, he started to fire," Thompson said, adding that the man fired more than once. The driver threw the car in reverse to get away, but Thompson said he kept hearing shots as they drove away. Thompson said he never heard Davis or anyone else in the SUV threaten Dunn. Prosecutors have said Dunn fired 10 times into the SUV. Dunn's attorneys say he feared for his life and fired the shots in an instant. The homeless man, Atkins, said he saw Dunn fire the shots into the SUV and then get into a "police crouch" and continue firing as the SUV sped away. Defense attorneys attacked Atkins as a convicted felon, saying he testified earlier that Dunn was leaning out of the car firing but now says he crouched outside the vehicle. Atkins is currently serving a seven-year term in prison for robbery. A group of homeless people helped solve the murder of one of their own, according to Long Beach Police. Before 3am Friday, 68-year-old Charles Taylor was beaten to death. It appeared he had been preparing to go to sleep on a pallet outside a Long Beach charity consignment store. On the other side of the building, a larger group of homeless people were awakened by a man they didn't know. Police have arrested 26-year-old Ardie Scott Powell in connection to the death. "He asked us if we wanted to see a dead body," said Brandon Campbell. "And woke us out of our sleep to tell us this. I didn't expect to see no dead body, but it was laying there." Homeless bicyclist suspected in Montrose murder Man found in cold blood in Montrose Chapman had been sleeping by himself, near the street on Graustark and was vulnerable to an assailant. Police were somehow called by the homeless, one of them even trying to stall the suspect until officer's arrived. "Our witness's father is a police officer so she goes into her 'my dad's a cop' mode and starts to question this guy," said homicide detective Phil Waters. "He's very defensive and won't tell us his name." The suspect rode away on his bike, with another member of the homeless group running behind. He tracked him to a nearby convenience store on Pacific avenue. "For people to step up and take responsibility for what they saw and what they can contribute to this investigation, it was awesome," said Waters. For Andrew Nolan, it's a reminder of the inherent risk of living on the streets. "What was behind that," he asked. "That we'll never know but at least we know we're a little bit safer now that he's not out here." Powell is expected to be charged with murder. Detectives seek help solving murder of homeless man attacked while sleeping HOUSTON Charles Taylor was assaulted between 3 and 6:40am on May 7 at Brae Burn Glen Park, located at 9510 S. Gessner, according to Crime Stoppers. Taylor, a homeless man, was likely sleeping in a sleeping bag when someone struck him in the head with an unknown object. Taylor was transported to an area hospital, where he underwent brain surgery, but died on Wednesday. Detectives still have no suspects or witnesses to the attack. Older Couple turn right off of Park Avenue onto Pacific Coast Highway, south toward seventh street. As they turn a speeding car with 4 gangbangers speed down Pacific Coast Highway from Ximeno and almost hit the elderly couple. Their blaring music can be heard while they speed along side the older couple, flashing gang signals, cursing and weaving in front of the seniors. They arrive at the stop light on Pacific Coast Highway, Seventh, Bellflower. ELIAS GANGBANGER Hey old man, you cut me off, you almost killed me. That's when I heard a voice with a thick European accent - "Hey we don't have to fight you know" me: "but then why'd you kill my buddy" him: "eh...I mean we still don't have to fight?" me: (thinking for a minute) "...you still killed my buddy. Fuck it let's fight" after about a solid minute while both of us are holding our breath he says him: "Hey! come fight!" me: "Fuck you! come to me!" A traffic stop turned into the arrests of three gang members by deputies with the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Wasco substation. On Saturday, deputies said they stopped a vehicle around 10:42 p.m. for traffic enforcement purposes near the intersection of Poso Drive and F Street. During the stop, deputies said the driver, who was identified as Ramon Cadena, 25, of Wasco, was on parole and did not have a valid driver’s license.WASCO, Calif. (KGET) — A traffic stop turned into the arrests of three gang members by deputies with the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Wasco substation. On Saturday, deputies said they stopped a vehicle around 10:42 p.m. for traffic enforcement purposes near the intersection of Poso Drive and F Street. During the stop, deputies said the driver, who was identified as Ramon Cadena, 25, of Wasco, was on parole and did not have a valid driver’s license. Deputies searched Cadena’s vehicle and said they found live ammunition. Deputies said the passengers in the vehicle were identified as Alfonso Trujillo, 28 from Shafter, and Joel Arrazate, 23, from Wasco. Deputies said Trujillo was on Post Release Community Supervision and Arrazate was on parole. They yell at the older driver, the front passenger gets out of his vehicle and tries to open the old mans door. The old man resists, the gangbanger pulls him out and begins beating and kicking him. Up Next - Capital Jewish Museum reopens after deadly shooting -00:15 Deputies searched Cadena’s vehicle and said they found live ammunition. Deputies said the passengers in the vehicle were identified as Alfonso Trujillo, 28 from Shafter, and Joel Arrazate, 23, from Wasco. Deputies said Trujillo was on Post Release Community Supervision and Arrazate was on parole. All three occupants were then arrested. Deputies said a parole search of Cadena’s house in the 800 block of E Street was conducted during which they said they found a .22 caliber handgun, a .45 caliber handgun, miscellaneous live ammunition, about 950 grams of marijuana, about 8 grams of methamphetamine, evidence indicating narcotics sales, $2,647.00 in cash and a ballistic vest. Cadena was then arrested for several charges including possession of body armor by a felon, maintaining a residence for the purpose of narcotics sales, possession of a controlled substance for sales, possession of ammunition by a prohibited person, possession of a loaded firearm by a prohibited person, possession of a firearm while in possession of a controlled substance and participation in a criminal street gang. Trujillo and Arrazate were arrested for possession of ammunition by a prohibited person, participation in a criminal street gang and conspiracy to commit a crime. All suspects were booked into the Kern County Jail. Anyone with information regarding either of these investigations (2022-00050281) is asked to contact the Kern County Sheriff’s Office at (661) 861-3110 or Secret Witness at (661) 322-4040. Up Next - Capital Jewish Museum reopens after deadly shooting -00:15 Deputies searched Cadena’s vehicle and said they found live ammunition. Deputies said the passengers in the vehicle were identified as Alfonso Trujillo, 28 from Shafter, and Joel Arrazate, 23, from Wasco. Deputies said Trujillo was on Post Release Community Supervision and Arrazate was on parole. All three occupants were then arrested.​ Deputies said a parole search of Cadena’s house in the 800 block of E Street was conducted during which they said they found a .22 caliber handgun, a .45 caliber handgun, miscellaneous live ammunition, about 950 grams of marijuana, about 8 grams of methamphetamine, evidence indicating narcotics sales, $2,647.00 in cash and a ballistic vest. Cadena was then arrested for several charges including possession of body armor by a felon, maintaining a residence for the purpose of narcotics sales, possession of a controlled substance for sales, possession of ammunition by a prohibited person, possession of a loaded firearm by a prohibited person, possession of a firearm while in possession of a controlled substance and participation in a criminal street gang. Trujillo and Arrazate were arrested for possession of ammunition by a prohibited person, participation in a criminal street gang and conspiracy to commit a crime.​ All suspects were booked into the Kern County Jail. Since March 1, a total of 11 bodies have been found in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts, fueling fears online that there could be a serial killer in the area. So far, law enforcement officials in New England have denied the presence of a serial killer.Detectives found the body of Paige Fannon, 35, in the Norwalk River in Norwalk, Connecticut, in early March.NEW ENGLAND SERIAL KILLER FEARS: MASSACHUSETTS INVESTIGATORS IDENTIFY BODY PULLED FROM RIVERNorwalk police also identified the remains of 35-year-old Paige Fannon of West Islip, New York, on March 6. Her remains were found in the swiftly moving Norwalk River after heavy rainfall the night before. (iStock)The body of Meggan Meridith, 45, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was found last Tuesday and identified earlier this week.On March 6, a human skull was discovered in a wooded area off of Route 3 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Authorities have not released any further details.When speaking to reporters, Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni downplayed concerns that there might be a serial killer.FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X"While online conversations around these incidents continue to grow, we urge the public to be mindful of the role that social media can play in spreading fear or misinformation," Gulluni said. "Unverified claims can compromise active investigations and contribute to a sense of chaos that does not reflect the full picture." Former Washington, D.C., homicide detective Ted Williams told Fox News Digital he believes detectives in New England are not ruling anything out."The investigators who are conducting these investigations are not ruling out anything whatsoever at this stage of the investigation," Williams said. "They are primarily at the preliminary stages of gathering evidence at each one of these death scenes to try to establish a nexus between those scenes and a single individual or individuals."NEW ENGLAND SERIAL KILLER FEARS: 10 BODIES NOW FOUND IN LESS THAN 2 MONTHSA map showing the locations of where bodies in the New England area have been found. (Fox News)"I don't think at this stage they're waving off a serial killer," Williams said.SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTERWilliams added that he believes authorities are trying to "connect the dots, if the dots connect" between the locations where the individuals were found."Some of these deaths may very well be of not a crime situation. They're trying to make a connection. And the information that they're providing the public is information that they believe the public more or less may need," Williams said.Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts. (Getty Images)Fox News contributor and forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden told Fox News Digital, however, that he does not see a pattern between the deaths or where the body was found.GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB"There really is no quite distinct, clear pattern of all of this," Baden said. Fox News Digital's Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.Adam Sabes is a writer for Fo x News Digital. Story tips can be sent to Adam.Sabes@fox.com and on Twitter @asabes10.New England authorities are not "ruling out anything" after 11 bodies were found in the region since the beginning of March, a former homicide detective said.Since March 1, a total of 11 bodies have been found in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts, fueling fears online that there could be a serial killer in the area. So far, law enforcement officials in New England have denied the presence of a serial killer.Detectives found the body of Paige Fannon, 35, in the Norwalk River in Norwalk, Connecticut, in early March.NEW ENGLAND SERIAL KILLER FEARS: MASSACHUSETTS INVESTIGATORS IDENTIFY BODY PULLED FROM RIVERNorwalk police also identified the remains of 35-year-old Paige Fannon of West Islip, New York, on March 6. Her remains were found in the swiftly moving Norwalk River after heavy rainfall the night before. (iStock)The body of Meggan Meridith, 45, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was found last Tuesday and ident ified earlier this week.On March 6, a human skull was discovered in a wooded area off of Route 3 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Authorities have not released any further details.When speaking to reporters, Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni downplayed concerns that there might be a serial killer.FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X"While online conversations around these incidents continue to grow, we urge the public to be mindful of the role that social media can play in spreading fear or misinformation," Gulluni said. "Unverified claims can compromise active investigations and contribute to a sense of chaos that does not reflect the full picture." Former Washington, D.C., homicide detective Ted Williams told Fox News Digital he believes detectives in New England are not ruling anything out. "The investigators who are conducting these investigations are not ruling out anything whatsoever at this stage of the investigation," Williams said. "They are primarily at the preliminary stages of gathering ev idence at each one of these death scenes to try to establish a nexus between those scenes and a single individual or individuals."NEW ENGLAND SERIAL KILLER FEARS: 10 BODIES NOW FOUND IN LESS THAN 2 MONTHSA map showing the locations of where bodies in the New England area have been found. (Fox News)"I don't think at this stage they're waving off a serial killer," Williams said.SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTERWilliams added that he believes authorities are trying to "connect the dots, if the dots connect" between the locations where the individuals were found."Some of these deaths may very well be of not a crime situation. They're trying to make a connection. And the information that they're providing the public is information that they believe the public more or less may need," Williams said.Fox News contributor and forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden told Fox News Digital, however, that he does not see a pattern between the deaths or where the body was found. TRUE CRIME HUB "There really is no qu ite distinct, clear pattern of all of this," Baden said. New England authorities are not sharing "enough" information to quash speculation about a serial killer following the recent discoveries of 12 sets of human remains between March and April, according to former FBI instructor and certified police instructor Scott Duffey.The discoveries of 12 human remains in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts between March and April, with few details from police as to how the 12 victims died, have prompted rumors of a serial killer online. "From what I've seen or heard, first and foremost, not enough is being put out there, so we'll continue to create that serial killer idea," Duffey said of social media sleuths. "But at the same time, nothing has been said to make any type of connection [between victims]. And so that's what leads me down to … let law enforcement continue to answer the questions that they need to answer. But nothing that I have seen would arise to a serial killer [being] responsible for a ny or most of these people who have been found."NEW ENGLAND INVESTIGATORS NOT ‘RULING OUT ANYTHING’ AMID SERIAL KILLER FEARS: FORMER HOMICIDE DETECTIVEThis map shows the locations where bodies have been found in New England. (Fox News)"I personally don't think there's anybody on the loose targeting women in New England … along the waterways and pathways," Duffey said. "But at the same time, you can disregard a serial killer out there, but don't let your guard down. … An individual who's looking to take advantage of a vulnerable situation will do so. … I always talk about the buddy system. If you're going out running, if you're going out somewhere dark, and you're going to be outside … walking, trailing, whatever, take somebody with you, have your phone and just be aware of your surroundings.""I personally don't think there's anybody on the loose targeting women in New England … along the waterways and pathways."— Scott Duffey, former FBI investigatorOf the 12 bodies found in the three states over the last two months, few developments have been made in the victims' respective cases, but police are investigating each of them. Last week, however, Connecticut police arrested a man named Donald Coffel in connection with the murder of a Groton woman, his roommate, Suzanne Wormser, who was found dismembered and stuffed into a suitcase in March. Police said a preliminary investigation revealed that he allegedly murdered her over an argument about crack cocaine.NEW ENGLAND SERIAL KILLER FEARS: MASSACHUSETTS INVESTIGATORS IDENTIFY BODY PULLED FROM RIVERDonald Coffel appears virtually for an April 28, 2025, hearing from a hospital because he has cancer. (FOX 61)The Connecticut State Police recently told Fox News Digital that "there is no information at this time suggesting any connection to similar remains discoveries, and there is also no known threat to the public at this time," regarding the deaths in Connecticut.Other remains have been located in New Haven, Norwalk, Groton, Killingly and Rocky Hill, C onnecticut; Foster and Pawtucket, Rhode Island; and Framingham, Plymouth, Springfield and two bodies in Taunton, Massachusetts. Some social media sleuths say these discoveries of human remains, particularly female remains, in the three neighboring states may indicate a serial killer, but police have made no indication of that being the case. One set of human remains was found in Groton, Conn. (iStock)"It doesn't take a lot to create a conspiracy," Duffey said. "And when you have a vacuum of information … and then one person puts out, really, somewhat of a logical idea, and then it catches, and then people start following that idea even though there's no evidence to back it up. The serial killer rumors, which stem from a private Facebook group with nearly 70,000 users all searching for answers surrounding these recent morbid discoveries, also led Rhode Island police on a hunt for clandestine graves along Narragansett Beach last week after an anonymous member of the group made an eerie confession that prompted the Narragansett police to investigate.NEW ENGLAND SERIAL KILLER FEARS: 10 BODIES NOW FOUND IN LESS THAN 2 MONTHS"It looked like someone was trying to get a rise. I mean, he referenced Rick Rolling [in] the group, he referenced this being prose. One of his poems actually spelled out the word ‘hoax’ if you spelled out the first letter of the paragraphs," Det. Sgt. Brent Kuzman told Fox News Digital on Thursday. "So, it seemed pretty obvious that this was kind of a nothing thing, but I never want to be the person that didn't do something. His fellow officers agreed, and they expensed some resources for searches on April 21 and again on April 22 with cadaver dogs. The searches came up negative.Duffey believes police in the area who are called to respond to suspicious deaths will have their eye on the Facebook page and related social media discussions."The mystery is definitely a hook," he said. "And just like anybody else, I'm waiting for more and more answers to come out. But also, I think with what has come out, I feel strongly that it is just that – a set of circumstances that caught a social media whirlwind – and now law enforcement has to kind of temper it down with evidence and information coming from credible sources."