Carl Drew & The Fall River Cult Murders

[Mass_Dude28]

Is anyone familiar with any of this? I'm a Massachusetts native and became very interested in this case about five years ago. I've looked into the case fairly extensively. It's pretty obvious that there was a lot that went on that the public doesn't know. Both before and after there was an arrest or the accused went to trial. Everyone seems to have their own opinion as to what really went down and who was truly responsible for the deaths of the three people killed. Former Fall River Detectives Alan Silvia and Paul Carey have both personally expressed their belief in the notion that Robin Murphy, and not Carl Drew, was responsible for the murders of the three women.

It all started in October of 1979 when the body of 17 year old prostitute Doreen Levesque was found bound and beaten to death behind the bleachers of Diman Vocational in Fall River, MA. A few months later in January of 1980 the body of 22 year old Barbara Raposa was discovered behind an abandoned printing plant on what was later described as a "makeshift alter." Like Levesque, she too had been beaten to death with a blunt object. A third local prostitute, Karen Marsden, came forward and claimed that Carl Drew and Robin Murphy were responsible for the murders. She also claimed that she, as well as Drew and Murphy, were all part of a Satanic cult that practiced their rights in the nearby Freetown-Fall River State Forest. 

She elaborated and stated that Drew was the ringleader of the group and that he referred to himself as 'The Son of Satan'. Often speaking in a strange language and making sacrifices to the dark forces in which he worshiped at their rituals deep within the State Forest. While some of her claims were initially difficult to verify at first, one thing was overwhelmingly apparent, Karen was deathly afraid of both Carl Drew and Robin Murphy. The following month after Raposa's body had been discovered, in February of 1980, Karen Marsden disappeared and was never heard from again. Six months later only a portion of her toothless skull was found in nearby Westport, MA. Police were able to discover pieces of hair and jewelry that has belonged to Ms. Marsden spread out over a two-mile radius. 

Carl Drew was later arrested in April of 1980 and charged in the death of Karen Marsden. Robin Murphy accepted a reduced sentence of life with the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to second degree murder. A third defendant, Andy Maltais, was found guilty of the death of Barbara Raposa and sentenced to life in prison, where he died in 1998. Drew continues to maintain his innocence in the death of Karen Marsden while serving his sentence at MCI Shirley. Robin Murphy was paroled in 2004 and obtained employment working for the state, but was rearrested in 2011 during a routine traffic stop in Revere, MA with another woman in the vehicle who had drugs in her purse and a criminal record, which was a clear violation of Murphy's parole conditions. She was most recently up for parole again in March 2017, where she was denied due to lack of credibility in regards to her lack of honesty when addressing the parole board. She will be eligible again in 2022.

http://www.cvltnation.com/sex-satanism-sacrificial-slaughter-fall-river-cult-murders-1979-80/

[rashore]

Welcome to UM Mass_Dude Please, take time to read the site rules, check out some threads, and enjoy your time here on UM

This case has come up before on UM... though usually it comes up more under urban legends of satanic cults and the Freetown State Forest. Nice to see it getting introduced under true crime, it's an interesting case.

[Lilly]

I recall this case as well (I'm also from MA). I don't think there has been any definitive evidence of a satanic cult being behind the murders though? It is certainly possible, but to my knowledge no other suspects (as in cult members) have been arrested in conjunction with the case.

[Mass_Dude28]

10 hours ago, rashore said:

Welcome to UM Mass_Dude Please, take time to read the site rules, check out some threads, and enjoy your time here on UM

This case has come up before on UM... though usually it comes up more under urban legends of satanic cults and the Freetown State Forest. Nice to see it getting introduced under true crime, it's an interesting case.

 

Thanks...will do!

9 hours ago, Lilly said:

I recall this case as well (I'm also from MA). I don't think there has been any definitive evidence of a satanic cult being behind the murders though? It is certainly possible, but to my knowledge no other suspects (as in cult members) have been arrested in conjunction with the case.

Well, a couple things to keep in mind. This all started before all the "Satanic Panic" stuff of the 80's. Also, both Silvia and Carey attended a ritual mass at a cult members apartment during their investigation. It was in Fall River at what was then Harbor Terrace apartment complex. Today it's been renamed to Heritage Heights. I believe the apartment belonged to Maureen 'Sonny' Sparda. There was even a rumor that Karen Marsden was murdered on the roof of Harbor Terrace and then transported to Westport, MA. But that was never substantiated. Before her death Marsden took the detectives to spots within the FSF where the black masses took place. Evidence in the form of graffiti, animal remains, and other occult related items were found. So I personally believe it was definitely a full-on cult.

Edited August 29, 2017 by Mass_Dude28

[Regi]

After some research, my impression is that there was a different motive for each murder, that the first victim was killed because she was a threat to their prostitution ring, that the second victim was killed because of her knowledge of the first murder, and that the last victim was killed because she was cooperating with authorities.