Hampden DA: Former priest killed boy, 13, nearly 50 years ago
Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni announces Monday, May 24, 2021, that nearly 50 years after police discovered the dead body of 13-year-old Danny Croteau floating in the Chicopee River, his office concluded that Croteau’s killer was former Catholic priest Richard Lavigne, a convicted sex offender who died Friday. STAFF PHOTO/DUSTY CHRISTENSEN
A photo of 13-year-old Danny Croteau, who in 1972 was found dead in the Chicopee River. Hampden County’s top prosecutor has announced that his office concluded Croteau’s killer was former Catholic priest Richard Lavigne, a convicted sex offender who died Friday. SUBMITTED PHOTO
Defrocked Catholic priest dies aged 80 just days before police were set to arrest him for 1972 murder of altar boy, 13, he admitted to assaulting and leaving for dead in a river
Massachusetts authorities were prepared to arrest Richard Lavigne in the 1972 killing of 13-year-old Danny Croteau before he died on Friday
Lavigne allegedly admitted in recordings to authorities over the past year that he was the last one to see Croteau alive
He said he physically assaulted the boy, left him there and returned sometime later to see the boy floating face down in the Chicopee River
He did not, however, admit to murder and maintained his innocence
Priest died before he could be prosecuted for altar boy s 1972 murder Share Updated: 6:07 PM EDT May 24, 2021
Priest died before he could be prosecuted for altar boy s 1972 murder Share Updated: 6:07 PM EDT May 24, 2021
Hide Transcript
Show Transcript TODD? THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAYS A PRIEST KILLED THE BOY. NEW EVIDENCE, INCLUDING FROM THE SUSPECT’S MOUTH, WAS KEY IN THIS CASE. THE DA SAYS HE WAS LITERALLY HOURS AWAY FROM CHARGING THE SUSPECT, WHEN HE GOT WORD THAT THE SUSPECT HAD DIED. DUE TO THE CREDIBLE AND SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE THAT HAS BEEN ASSEMBLED IN THE LAST YEAR, THAT INCRIMINATES RICHARD LAVIGNE, I AM ANNOUNCING TODAY THAT THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE MURDER OF DANNY CROTEAU IS NOW OFFICIALLY CLOSED. NEARLY 50 YEARS AFTER THE BODY OF ALTAR BOY DANNY CROTEAU WAS FOUND IN THE CONNECTICUT RIVER IN CHICOPEE, HIS MURDER HAS BEEN SOLVED. THE HAMPDEN DA SAYS RICHARD LAVIGNE, WHO WAS ONCE THE PRIEST AT THE CROTEAU FAMILY’S PARISH IN SPR