Episode 224: The Murder of Amasa Sprague

On this week’s episode of True Crime New England, Katie and Liz jump in their time machine and go all the way back to the 1840's in Rhode Island to discuss the murder of Amasa Sprague. Hailing from a very prominent and wealthy family, Amasa and his brother, William, grew their success with a massive mill franchise and political positions. On New Year’s Eve of 1843, Amasa was doing his nightly check of the livestock on his nearby farm in Johnston when he was shot and then beaten to death with a gun. At the time, the area was full of Irish immigrants who were constantly being treated poorly due to their heritage. Very quickly, a family of Irish brothers were found to be at fault for the murder despite the lack of evidence. 

Join Katie and Liz for another mini-episode in their case profile series that covers crimes against people of color in New England that don’t get enough media attention. This week, Katie starts off the show by discussing the horrible neglect that led to the murder of 11-year-old Jacqueline Torres-Garcia in September of 2024 in New Britain, Connecticut. Then, Liz discusses the senseless murder of 27-year-old Tyron Walton, who was shot and killed while driving with his friends in Hartford, Connecticut in September of 2003. While Jacqueline’s murder has legal proceedings ongoing, Tyron’s case remains unsolved. If you or anyone you know has any information about the murder of Tyron Walton, please call the Hartford Police Tip Line at 860-722-TIPS. 

Join Katie and Liz on this week’s episode of True Crime New England as they discuss the troubling disappearance of 54-year-old Jessie Hoover. In May of 1983, feeling motivated to accomplish something great after her longtime husband passed away suddenly, Jessie decided she was going to do a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. Despite being ill-prepared and untrained in hiking, Jessie still traveled to Maine to begin the over 2,000 mile hike, which she would be doing alone. She was last heard from on May 20th, and was not reported missing until July 11th, which further proved to cause difficulties in the search for her. To this day, Jessie Hoover has not been found. If you or anyone you know has any information regarding the disappearance of Jessie Hoover, please call the Maine State Police at 207-941-4599.

Join Katie and Liz for their 92nd installment of True Crime New England’s case profile mini-episode series! This week, Liz starts the show off with the horrible murder of Jasper Howard in 2009 at the University of Connecticut, where he was stabbed after a football game. Then, Katie talks about the unsolved murder of Tameika Mayo, a 15-year-old girl who was killed in 1988 in Hartford, Connecticut. While Jasper’s murder was solved, Tameika’s remains unsolved and are connected to other murders in the area. If you or anyone you know has any information about the murder of Tameika Mayo, please call the Connecticut Cold Case Unit at 866-623-8058.

Join Katie and Liz on this episode of True Crime New England as they discuss the exoneration of the wrongfully convicted Marvin Mitchell. In September of 1988, an 11-year-old girl was walking to school in Boston, Massachusetts when she was grabbed off the street and raped. Marvin ended up being convicted based on false eyewitness testimony and potential conspiracy between arresting officers. After over seven years behind bars, Marvin was allowed a new trial once DNA evidence proved the attacker could not have been him. The court ended up not giving him a new trial and he remains a free man after becoming the first person in the state of Massachusetts to be exonerated based on DNA evidence. 

Join Katie and Liz for another installment of their mini-episode case profile series! This week, Katie starts the show off with a devastating story about the murder of 20-year-old Mariyah Inthirath, who was shot and killed in New Haven, Connecticut in May of 2021. Then, Liz talks about the disappearance of Elizabeth Diaz, a young mother of two who was last seen in Springfield, Massachusetts on September 7th, 1999. Both cases remain unsolved.If you or anyone you know has any information on the murder of Mariyah Inthirath, please call the New Haven Detective Bureau at 203-946-6304 or the tip line at 1-866-888-TIPS. If you or anyone you know has any information on the disappearance of Elizabeth Diaz, please call the Springfield Police Department at 413-787-6300.

Join Katie and Liz on this week’s episode of True Crime New England as they discuss the absolutely heinous case of the murder of little Jarrell Cuyler. Based on deep jealousy and a desire for revenge, 23-year-old Chasity West decided she needed to attack her first cousin, Tammi Cuyler, in the worst way possible. Chasity had been having an affair with Tammi’s husband for years, and after their divorce was finalized, Chasity viewed the ex-wife and children of her lover as an obstacle that she just needed to get rid of. Tune in to hear the heartbreaking details of the unnecessary murder of a little boy in the face of extreme jealousy and delusion. 

Welcome to the 90th installment of True Crime New England’s case profile mini-episode series! This week, Liz starts the episode off with the confusing and unnecessary murder of Jorge Osorio-Caballero out of New Haven, Connecticut in January of 2021. Then, Katie talks about the heartbreaking murder of Sylvia Baker out of Hartford, Connecticut in July of 1982, who was taking out the trash when she got into a van and later found murdered. Both cases remain unsolved.If you or anyone you know has information on the murder of Jorge Osorio-Caballero, please call the New Haven Police Department at 203-946-6304.Anyone with any information on the murder of Sylvia Baker is asked to please call the Connecticut Cold Case Unit at 1-866-623-8058or by emailing [email protected].

On this week’s episode of True Crime New England, Katie and Liz take a trip to 1800's New Hampshire as they talk about potential serial killer Franklin B. Evans. In 1872, Franklin murdered his 13-year-old grand-niece in Northwood, New Hampshire by luring her into the woods on the guise of helping him check snare traps. When Franklin led investigators to her body, she was found strangled and badly mutilated with some of her organs missing. After a short trial found him guilty of her murder, Franklin began to be connected to a handful of other murders that occurred around New England. Tune in to hear the details of the odd and eccentric man who always seemed to be at the scene of the crime. 

Join Katie and Liz for another installment of their case profile mini-episode series! This week, Katie starts the show by telling of the tragic murder of Bruno “Papote” Lugo who was shot and killed in Hartford, Connecticut on October 23rd, 2011. His death still remains unsolved. Then, Liz talks about the murder of Cecil Lopez III out of New Bedford, Massachusetts in October of 2004, and how his death is related to the random and senseless murder of Dana Haywood just a few months later in 2005.  Anyone with any information on the murder of Bruno Lugo is asked to please contact the Hartford Police Crime Stoppers tip line at 860-722-TIPS. If you or anyone you know has any information of the murder of Cecil Lopes III, please call the Massachusetts Unresolved Crimes Unit at 1-855-MA-SOLVE.