DA Joseph Early: Body found in Millbury house; 911 caller in custody

MILLBURY — One person is under arrest after a body was found at a house Saturday afternoon on Millbury Avenue.

"I want to relay to the citizens of Millbury that this is an isolated incident and there is no danger to the public," Police Chief Brian Lewos said.

About 3 p.m. Saturday, the Police Department received a 911 call from 303 Millbury Ave.

Officers responding to the scene found a deceased person, according to Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.

Another person, later determined to be the 911 caller, was found at the back of the house, Early said. That person was taken into custody and charged with aggravated assault and battery.

Early, who discussed the case during a news conference Saturday evening in Millbury, said the arrested person was initially taken to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester.

"We're going to let the experts to their job...and we'll go wherever the evidence takes us," Early said.

The victim and second person were familiar to one another, authorities said.

Police at scene Sunday

With a heavy breeze blowing Sunday morning, the backdoor of the house at 303 Millbury Ave. continued to swing open and shut.

A front porch light remained on and there were cars parked, including two police vehicles, around the home. Yellow police tape remained wrapped around the entirety of the property.

While curious drivers slowed down to try and get a view of the scene on the quiet street, neighbors were seen going about their business, walking pets, doing yardwork or carrying in groceries.

Several neighbors declined to comment, but mentioned that the people who lived in the home mainly kept to themselves and that they didn't know them very well.

One neighbor, who was walking her dog nearby, said that she and her husband weren't as familiar with the people who lived in the home as they were with the owners of it.

"They (the owners) are perfectly nice," said Katie Farrington, whose home faces the backyard of 303 Millbury Ave. "The lady comes and she walks her puggle up and down the street, so we say, 'Hi.'"

Farrington said she has not had any contact with the owners of the home since before the incident occurred.

"My husband knows them all by their cars," she said.

Despite their property's proximity to the home, Farrington said she and her husband missed a majority of the events that took place there Saturday.

Farrington said by the time they arrived home they saw what appeared to be a Caucasian male in their mid-20s "going along with the police."

'Something definitely happened'

The person arrested was not believed to be a family member, she said, but a friend who was known to visit the house.

"We just looked out the door. We saw the blue lights. We never heard anything, so we weren't that nervous, but something definitely happened," Farrington said.

She said that they don't feel unsafe, as authorities have made it clear to them that it was an isolated incident.

But not all residents, such as next-door neighbor Betty Elliott, felt totally safe.

"(I'm) very scared. I locked all my doors and I made sure everything was locked and closed," she said.

Elliott, who has been living in her home for the last several decades, said she had only met the neighbors a few times, but never saw any problems occur or had any safety concerns.

The Millbury Police Department provided no updates Sunday and directed questions to DA Early's office.

DA Early's office did not specify the injuries or other details of the case.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester DA Early: Body found in Millbury house; 911 caller in custody