Documents: Worcester spa, site of fatal shooting, faces state penalties
WORCESTER — Following a fatal Thanksgiving shooting at a Pleasant Street spa, state records state the owner of Angies Bodyworks Spa has closed the business.
State regulators also investigated the "bodyworks" spa at 383 Pleasant St. for advertising massage services while not being properly licensed and found cause to take action against the owner.
On Thanksgiving, a woman was shot in the head inside the parlor. Marcel D. Santos-Padgett of Leicester was later arrested and arraigned on six charges including murder and multiple firearms charges stemming from the killing and will be held without bail.
Following the shooting, the Massachusetts Division of Occupational Licensure Board of Registration of Massage Therapy opened a complaint against Angies Bodyworks.
The website for the business, which remained online as of Tuesday, describes some of its services as “massage.” However, Angies Bodyworks is not a licensed massage parlor and the use of the word “massage” by an unlicensed business is not proper.
State law allows spas to engage in “bodyworks” — a less strenuous form of contact than “massage” — without a license, but says they cannot advertise or perform massage services.
In January, workers were seen clearing out Angies Bodyworks and throwing items into a large dumpster outside.
On Jan. 8, the Board of Registration of Massage Therapy heard the complaint against Angies Bodyworks. Prosecutions will move forward based on the board's recommendations.
Angies Bodyworks has the right to an administrative law process.
Records related to the investigation were obtained by the Telegram & Gazette through a records request.
In response to questions asked by an investigator with the state, owner Yuying Etpison wrote that she did not renew the business' lease and closed the parlor in the wake of the shooting.
Etpison told the investigator the business' phone numbers and insurance had also been canceled.
According to the City of Worcester's business certificate records, the parlor's certificate was discontinued.
In response to the complaint, Etpison wrote that she paid a man to do advertising and that he had mistakenly included the word "massage" on the website. She said she should have paid better attention to the words he used.
The investigator pointed to the website's description of "combination bodyworks" as a massage that includes multiple bodyworks modalities.
Etpison did not offer more information about what services were provided at Angies Bodyworks.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Angies Bodyworks Spa in Worcester has closed, faces state action
