Found Deceased MA - Michael Doherty, 20, Franklin, 14 May 2017

[Steleheart]

I'm not sure where the person who made this map got the info that's where Michael's body was found. It would make sense he covered that distance in water since he had no shoes on but looking at this map, though, not sure where he would have drowned that put him between 495 and Jimmy Street....unless Mine Brook that would put him closer to 495 than Jimmy St.. Police said the civilians who found him were searching in a heavy brush area.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewe...&ll=42.10003288897434,-71.43539003786623&z=16

I want so badly to ask my family member who was one of the searchers for some details but won't put him on the spot like that. He did say, though, that he wasn't found in water. I would think after the Medical Examiner releases the autopsy report, we'll hear more. I'm just hoping nobody slipped a micky into his drink or did anything stupid like that. My 17 yr old has ADHD and learning disabilities and when he was 14 in the 8th grade, he went out with some classmates who slipped him something in chewing tobacco. He didn't know what hit him! He came home and I knew something was wrong and he kept saying he didn't take anything but some chewing tobacco his "friends" gave him. I bought a drug test and it was positive for THC. My son was really upset and wrote on his FB page, "Do not trust anyone!" Pot is pretty prevalent here among the Middle school kids and it's sad they would stoop so low to drug someone for the fun of it! I should have went to the kids' parents but didn't want to make things worse for my son. I did let the kids know I knew what they did and threatened I would tell their parents and the police if they EVER did anything like that again. He never again went out with them after that anyway. I'm not saying anyone did this to Michael, but you never know. I guess we'll find out soon enough if the police say foul play may have been involved. I hope not, but someone's joke could have turned deadly. My son was a mess and could barely walk. He was so disorented and had no idea what happened to him and why he was feeling the way he was. He thought the chewing tobacco caused him to be so dizzy and nauseous.

JaJo I would encourage you to become a Verified Insider for this case so that close info you have carries more weight!

Check t out - http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...n-Process-for-Professional-or-Insider-Posters

 

[jimbobimbo]

What a tragic story. I wonder what the legal repercussions are going to be for those at the party and more importantly the homeowners and/or hosts of the party. I don't know if any of you remember Taylor Meyer but she died in 2008 under similar circumstances. Her family pursued the families of those who provided her with the alcohol on that evening and eventually settled in 2011. I don't personally suspect any foul play but I do find it hard to believe that a healthy twenty year old male would die under these conditions simply from casual alcohol consumption.

 

[Curiosity7]

What a tragic story. I wonder what the legal repercussions are going to be for those at the party and more importantly the homeowners and/or hosts of the party. I don't know if any of you remember Taylor Meyer but she died in 2008 under similar circumstances. Her family pursued the families of those who provided her with the alcohol on that evening and eventually settled in 2011. I don't personally suspect any foul play but I do find it hard to believe that a healthy twenty year old male would die under these conditions simply from casual alcohol consumption.

It's an incredibly sad and awful situation for the kids Michael was with at the gathering and I've got to hope that nothing nefarious happened there.
But I agree whole-heartedly, as I've previously posted, that it seems Michael succumbed that first night due to illness or injury, because otherwise, a healthy 20 year old young man would have certainly made it through the night and been able to find his way the next day to either a neighborhood or to the Interstate - JMHO.

 

[JaJo]

I live in Franklin but am not an insider in the sense that I personally know any of the people involved. I came here to this board to read what info you guys had when I found you were covering the search. LOL! I was soooo glad someone posted a map of the search area here very early on with balloons placed where the victim lived and the party house....and the areas where the shirt/sneakers/scent were found. I couldn't picture where they were searching, even though I drive by it all the time getting on 495N. I was glad you were here! Thank you!!

 

[Bravo]

:welcome2:

 

[Lin58]

What a tragic story. I wonder what the legal repercussions are going to be for those at the party and more importantly the homeowners and/or hosts of the party. I don't know if any of you remember Taylor Meyer but she died in 2008 under similar circumstances. Her family pursued the families of those who provided her with the alcohol on that evening and eventually settled in 2011. I don't personally suspect any foul play but I do find it hard to believe that a healthy twenty year old male would die under these conditions simply from casual alcohol consumption.

When the ambient temperature and the strength of the noreaster winds the wind chills were in the low teens to the single digits that evening. He had no shoes, no coat, and no shirt. Alcohol or not, one could die very quickly from hypothermia in such conditions. Stripping off of clothing from a false sense of warmth is common, also not uncommon are hallucinations and amnesia (where is my house/car/etc.?) Alcohol and a small thinner build can accelerate the effects. I'm truly sorry for the family and have had to share that news one too
many times in my career.

 

[Steleheart]

When the ambient temperature and the strength of the noreaster winds the wind chills were in the low teens to the single digits that evening. He had no shoes, no coat, and no shirt. Alcohol or not, one could die very quickly from hypothermia in such conditions. Stripping off of clothing from a false sense of warmth is common, also not uncommon are hallucinations and amnesia (where is my house/car/etc.?) Alcohol and a small thinner build can accelerate the effects. I'm truly sorry for the family and have had to share that news one too
many times in my career.

What were the wind speeds that night? I don't remember seeing a report, but my own recollection sitting outside is that it went from drizzle to sprinkle most of the night with a breeze and about 42 degrees .

 

[Justmexyz]

I'm looking for some clarification. The area he was found looks like it was found behind the home on Phyllis . it is going in the opposite direction of his home. His home is going down pond street past Kennedy school. There does not seem to be any short cut to his home through the marsh. Towards jimmy street is in the other direction.

 

[Curiosity7]

Were the temps/wind chill really that low that night? I didn't realize that. I don't live close to Franklin, but do live in MA and it was around 40 in this area. But if Michael was able to find his way back to the Franklin side from the golf course (according to the police chief) seems he had to be somewhat coherent, no? I just can't understand why he couldn't or didn't have the ability to burrow or gather leaves or something to keep warm till morning. Still, it was pouring so everything was wet. And, I've got to say, having been lost myself in the dark in a massive wooded reservation, I was panicked, had no ability to figure out where I was in relation to where I should have been and it was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life and that makes me incredibly sad for how this young man must have suffered. Back to hypothermia... thinking of Michael taking his shirt off fairly close to the Oak St. Extension, which would have been early on in his trek, if that was an indication of hypothermia, how did he make it all the way across the brook into Bellingham and then back again through the brook to south of the neighborhood? That would take time and I am having trouble understanding if he was hypothermic early on how he did this.

 

[Blythe]

May you never travel home alone and may your phone always be charged.

So sad.

 

[stygianowl]

Weather histories for that night from the airports in Pawtucket, RI (about 13 miles away) and Norwood, MA (about 15 miles):


https://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KSFZ/2017/5/14/DailyHistory.html

[FONT=&amp]https://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KOWD/2017/5/14/DailyHistory.html

[/FONT]

 

[Steleheart]

Weather histories for that night from the airports in Pawtucket, RI (about 13 miles away) and Norwood, MA (about 15 miles):


https://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KSFZ/2017/5/14/DailyHistory.html

[FONT=&]https://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KOWD/2017/5/14/DailyHistory.html

[/FONT]

Thanks. Oddly I find different results although Pawtucket RI can be far different than Milford/ Worcester/ Franklin.

Milford Average Daily Temperatures from here: http://www.intellicast.com/Local/History.aspx?month=5

May 13 were 44low to 69high

 

[Gussified]

Thanks. Oddly I find different results although Pawtucket RI can be far different than Milford/ Worcester/ Franklin.

Milford Average Daily Temperatures from here: http://www.intellicast.com/Local/History.aspx?month=5

May 13 were 44low to 69high

View attachment 117211

Should look at May 14th, Mothers Day. I believe it was early morning hours of May 14th. I remember Mothers Day as cold and rainy. (eta: I'm about 15 mi away. ) The 44 low on May 13th was likely around midnight, as the temps were dropping.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Steleheart]

Should look at May 14th, Mothers Day. I believe it was early morning hours of May 14th. I remember Mothers Day as cold and rainy. (eta: I'm about 15 mi away. ) The 44 low on May 13th was likely around midnight, as the temps were dropping.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Yea it was 1:30 AM May 14. The daytime was raw, but I would hardly have called it a storm. I feel he wasn't even conscious by day time Mother's Day.

But I am north of Boston so further than you are.

 

[stygianowl]

Thanks. Oddly I find different results although Pawtucket RI can be far different than Milford/ Worcester/ Franklin.

Milford Average Daily Temperatures from here: http://www.intellicast.com/Local/History.aspx?month=5

May 13 were 44low to 69high

Those are average temperatures for that date at that weather location throughout its entire history, I believe. Here are the observations for 2017- May 14, 2017 had a high of 50 & low of 43 (& May 13 a high of 56, low 39- but Michael was last seen around 1:30am on May 14):

http://www.intellicast.com/Local/ObservationsSummary.aspx?location=USMA0148

 

[Steleheart]

I'm looking for some clarification. The area he was found looks like it was found behind the home on Phyllis . it is going in the opposite direction of his home. His home is going down pond street past Kennedy school. There does not seem to be any short cut to his home through the marsh. Towards jimmy street is in the other direction.

I'll try - I wish I were talented that way but... In this Screenshot from Google :

Phyllis Ln and Catherine Ave. Are circled in red.
There is a path through the woods on the edge of the marsh - (the red line with arrow) that should have taken him home. I don't know the exact route.
According to LE ( I think it was Dep Ch. Mill) he went as far as Oak St Ext. ,But he got off it ( Blue dotted line) and ended up at the golf course losing his shirt and his shoes in different locations in that direction. ( the dogs and the searchers would know the more exact route)
But according to Det. Ch. Mill, he doubled back, crossed the brook again and went to far - ending up somewhere in the thick wood opposite Jimmy St behind the houses on Besso St.



https://www.google.com/maps/place/P...36433d305c0dca!8m2!3d42.1038457!4d-71.4326307

 

[Steleheart]

Those are average temperatures for that date at that weather location throughout its entire history, I believe. Here are the observations for 2017- May 14, 2017 had a high of 50 & low of 43 (& May 13 a high of 56, low 39- but Michael was last seen around 1:30am on May 14):

http://www.intellicast.com/Local/ObservationsSummary.aspx?location=USMA0148

Well it could be but it was only in the low 40's that night and mostly sprinkling. I was sitting in it frequently on my deck so... Different sources have different info IMO.

 

[Blythe]

The case which brought me to WS has some similarities to this one. Lauren Spierer was a rising junior at Indiana University who went missing after a night of gathering with friends at various locations. She was deemed "coherent" by the young man who was apparently the last to see her. She set out to walk the short distance home to her campus apartment barefoot and without her phone if the young man is to be believed.

Notable differences are that LS has not been found. However, foul play has been heavily suspected by her parents, LE and largely the WS Threads.

Another difference is that LS spent the night exclusively with peers in their university domiciles and hang outs; while MD was in a suburban residence which might possibly have had at least one person present with a fully developed pre-frontal cortex.

Students, parents, neighbors, all of us need to learn some lessons from this. IMO, JMO. MOO

 

[Justmexyz]

I went to the locations. Oak st extention and the path is only houses away from Phyllis. The path goes immediately to the marsh. It is the opposite direction to his home. Schofield would have been the direction or pond street.. You have to see it to know. I'm not surprised that the kids at the party are not his crowd.

 

[stygianowl]

Well it could be but it was only in the low 40's that night and mostly sprinkling. I was sitting in it frequently on my deck so... Different sources have different info IMO.

[FONT=&amp][FONT=&amp]The sources seem pretty consistent to me- the observations at both airports are fairly similar to your account of the area’s weather that night, with temps basically in the mid-40’s, with “light rain” or “rain” reported for most of the night, though generally more “rain” reported later (“heavy rain” reported at 3:56am at Pawtucket), with winds ranging from 7-9 mph, increasing only a little into the wee hours of the morning at Norwood, and increasing more at Pawtucket, to 10-17 with one gust reported at 24 at 4:56am. [/FONT] The table from Intellicast reporting 69 degrees for May 13 & 70 degrees for the 14th is a historical table of the average temps for that date, not a record of the temps for that date in 2017. [/FONT]