TORRINGTON, Conn. (WTNH) — Could there be more victims of the man who may have killed seven that have been found behind a New Britain shopping center? As authorities piece together their case against William Devin Howell, they’re looking at murders from across the region. There have been a number of unsolved crimes along Route 8.
Along a stretch of quiet road just south of Torrington is a wooded area that has long been the dumping ground for murder victims. Since the 1980’s, four murders have gone unsolved after the bodies were dumped along Route 8 in the same area. Finding the person responsible has been a challenge for authorities.
“When you’re looking at serial killer crimes, the spectrum of who could have done this is so huge,” said attorney and blogger Ann Howard.
Howard has long been interested in the unsolved crimes of the region. She writes her own blog about unsolved murders in Connecticut, specifically along Route 8. She says one case, the disappearance and murder of Jessica Muskus, sounds incredibly similar to what was found in New Britain.
“She unfortunately was disposed of in a very vacant, hard to locate area,” said Howard. “It took two years for the police to even find the remains.”
Muskus and the victims found in New Britain have a lot in common.
“Her remains were skeletal. She was also a resident of Waterbury, like one of the New Britain victims. She was a drug user,” Howard said.
Many of the victims found in New Britain went missing generally around the same time Muskus went missing, but her body was found miles away. Where was Howell in July 2004?
New Britain police haven’t responded after we asked if they’re looking at the Muskus’s murder as a possible link.
