There is no serial killer in Fayetteville, police chief says

F.T. Norton and Joseph Pierre, Fayetteville Observer
·3 min read
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There is no known connection in a series of bodies found along Bragg Boulevard recently, the Fayetteville Police Department announced Tuesday.

“As it pertains to these recent investigations, there is no evidence to suggest a correlation between any of the cases,” a statement on the department’s social media pages said.

“As detectives wait on information from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and conduct their investigations, it is imperative that we not allow social media or other narratives to reach a conclusion that brings fear to our community or disrupts the investigative process.”

Since Sept. 25, the bodies of four people — two sets of the remains in advanced stages of decomposition — have been found along Bragg Boulevard or in a neighborhood off Bragg Boulevard.

Fayetteville Police Department officers investigating the crime scene where skeletal remains were found in the 3900 block of Bragg Boulevard, Oct. 17, 2023.
Fayetteville Police Department officers investigating the crime scene where skeletal remains were found in the 3900 block of Bragg Boulevard, Oct. 17, 2023.

The bodies

— Oct. 16: Skeletal remains were found in the woods off Villagio Place at Bragg Boulevard, according to a Monday news release.

— Oct. 11: A decomposing body was found in the former All Stars Bar and Grill at 1204 Bragg Blvd. Police said the building had been vacant for several years. Tuesday’s statement was the first public mention of the discovery.

— Oct. 11: The body of Crystal Loughran, 40, was found in the woods at Fieldcrest and Cedric streets off Bragg Boulevard near Bonnie Doone, a news release last week said. Loughran’s identity was released Monday. "That death investigation has been ruled a homicide and detectives are actively pursuing leads and information to bring resolution to this investigation," the release said.

— Sept. 25: An individual was found dead behind the Motel 6 at 3719 Bragg Blvd. The subject appeared to have been in the location for a “few” days, police said. Tuesday’s statement was the first public mention of this discovery.

“The Fayetteville Police Department, as well the District Commander, is aware of the incidents and have deployed additional police resources to help these investigations, including our Community Empowerment Response Team (CERT) in the Bonnie Doone area,” the statement said.

Fayetteville Police Department vehicles line up outside of the wooded area where skeletal remains were found in the 3900 block of Bragg Boulevard, Oct. 17, 2023.
Fayetteville Police Department vehicles line up outside of the wooded area where skeletal remains were found in the 3900 block of Bragg Boulevard, Oct. 17, 2023.

Investigations underway

On Tuesday, at least eight unmarked police vehicles and four forensic vans were parked along Villagio Place as members of the Fayetteville Police Department searched the wooded location where the Monday discovery of bones was made.

A person living in a nearby “camp” found the skeletal remains lying on top of the ground, Chief Kemberle Braden said from the scene about a half mile into the woods on Tuesday.

He said the bones were scattered but it could have been from animal activity. They are believed to be the remains of one person, according to Braden, but it was not yet known if the individual was male or female. Braden said the area is frequented by homeless people, and with construction planned for an expansion at an adjacent apartment complex, it's possible excavations in the area could uncover other remains belonging to a transient person.

About a mile and a half from Villagio Place on Tuesday, all that remained near where Loughrin was found was a small colorful bear, a bouquet of flowers and helium balloons in a clearing in the woods off Cedric Street.

Flowers mark the spot Oct. 17, 2023, near where the body of Crystal Loughran, 40, was found Oct. 11, 2023.
Flowers mark the spot Oct. 17, 2023, near where the body of Crystal Loughran, 40, was found Oct. 11, 2023.

Social media rumors

While Braden was adamant Tuesday that there was not a serial killer stalking the area — rumors were running rampant on social media.

One such posting includes a photograph of an accused killer and a news article about his arrest, claiming, "There's a serial killer or abductor who is currently hunting in #Fayetteville my friend was almost taken by him."

The photo and article are from a July 2018 New York Times article on the arrest arrest of Jose Gilberto Rodriguez in Houston, Texas. He is charged with three killings and two violent robberies there. Harris County, Texas, jail records on Tuesday show that Rodriguez is still in custody awaiting his capital murder trial.

An Associated Press article from August said Rodriguez's mugshot had circulated on social media in Indiana, Pennsylvania and Alabama, with the same language and allegations of a serial killer on the loose that was used in the Fayetteville Facebook post.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville police chief dispels rumors of serial killer stalking city