Massachusetts

New Details Released in Case of Woman's Body Found in Trunk

The investigation into the woman's death is being led by Massachusetts authorities

What to Know

  • Police released new details in the bizarre case where a woman's body was discovered in the trunk of a car of a man who committed suicide.
  • Gyrth Rutan, 34, of Sturbridge, Massachusetts, pulled out a shotgun and turned it on himself following a traffic stop on Thursday in Maine.
  • Investigators have not released the woman's identity, but confirmed that she was from Massachusetts.

Maine State Police released new details Friday in the bizarre case where a body was discovered in the trunk of a car of a Massachusetts man who shot and killed himself during a traffic stop.

State police said they received a report of an erratic driver on Interstate 295 around 4:45 p.m. Thursday before stopping the vehicle a short time later on Timberwood Drive in Gardiner. The driver got out of the car armed with a shotgun and immediately turned the gun on himself.

A woman's body was found in the trunk of the car as police were investigating. Her name has not been released, but investigators said she was a Massachusetts resident.

The man who committed suicide has been identified as 34-year-old Gyrth Rutan of Sturbridge, according to Maine State Police. An autopsy determined that he died of a shotgun wound to the head.

Neighbors in Sturbridge say Rutan kept to himself and is someone they never really knew.

"Surprised and appalled and all mixed up you know, living so close to this person and not knowing anything really about him," one woman said.

Police were going in and out of Rutan's Sturbridge home on Friday, according to neighbors.

"Surprising, I mean, I saw the cops around a lot, going in and it's just a lot going on," Sarah Fulginiti said.

The investigation into the woman's death is being led by the Worcester County District Attorney's Office. A spokesperson for the district attorney said state police detectives assigned to their office are investigating and were on scene Friday at an undisclosed location in Sturbridge.

Police said the woman's death did not take place in Maine. They said it's not clear why Rutan drove to Maine, but he has family in the state and his Facebook page indicates that he grew up in Brewster.

No further information was immediately available, police said. The investigation is ongoing.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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