December 26, 2006

Grand jury dismissed in teenager's slaying

By Associated Press

BOSTON -- The grand jury investigating the disappearance and death of Molly Bish has been dismissed without issuing indictments, according to Worcester District Attorney John Conte.

Conte said Friday that he dismissed the special grand jury, over the objections of its members, because it had accomplished everything it could. The grand jury had been in session for nearly 2½ years.

"They wanted to stay, which was highly, highly unusual, because they feel they were close to solving the matter," Conte told The Associated Press. "I explained we didn't have anything further to present them on the matter."

The grand jury investigation, which included a review of evidence and testimony from potential suspects, leaves "a tremendous record in place" for future investigators, Conte said.

But Conte said prosecutors still need a break in the case, which he said could be provided by anything from new technology that gets more information out of existing DNA evidence or new witnesses.

"We're so close, and yet so far," he said. "We feel there are suspects. We're hoping to find that missing link."

"We gave it a great deal of time and effort," Conte added. "I just feel, hopefully, down the line this case is going to be solved."

Molly Bish's father, John Bish, told The Boston Globe that the family had hoped for an indictment, "but we are grateful for the work that the grand jury has done. It has served to preserve testimony that has been collected by state police, the leads and the evidence that they have had."

He said the investigation into her disappearance is far from over.

"We are going to use this as a spring board. We are not going to stop. We are going to work hard to find out what happened to Molly," Bish said.

Molly Bish was 16 when she disappeared from her lifeguard post at Comins Pond in Warren in June 2000. Her remains were found in a wooded area of neighboring Palmer three years later after a hunter reported spotting a bathing suit like the one she was last seen wearing.

The special grand jury was convened in 2004 to re-examine the case.

Molly's absence is particularly tough around the holidays, her mother, Magi Bish, told WFXT-TV. "It's been a very long time for us," she said. "Six years, six Christmases now that Molly has not been with her family."

December 22, 2006

Grand jury in Molly Bish case dismissed without indictments 

He'll be succeeded by Joseph Early, Junior.

December 23, 2006

Bish grand jury released

No indictment after 2-1/2 years 

By Richard Nangle TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

WORCESTER—If there is to be an arrest in the 6-year-old death of Molly A. Bish of Warren, it will not happen while District Attorney John J. Conte is in office.

The grand jury that investigated her death for 2-1/2 years has been dismissed without returning an indictment.

But John Bish, the 16-year-old victim’s father, believes significant work has been done that will lead to an arrest at some point. Mr. Bish believes his daughter’s killer is known to authorities and that they need more evidence to close the deal.

Ms. Bish disappeared from her lifeguard post at Comins Pond in Warren in June 2000. Three years later her remains were found in a wooded area in neighboring Palmer after a hunter reported spotting a bathing suit matching the description of the one she was last seen wearing.

Mr. Conte said he personally thanked grand jury members this week.

While some grand juries meet for three months, this “special grand jury” stayed together for an unusually long period of time.

“They asked if they could stay, which is highly unusual,” Mr. Conte said. “I think they had the feeling that we’ve accomplished a great deal, and we’ve had that feeling for a long time. We’re so close but so far. They went into this matter very seriously.”

Mr. Conte, a Democrat, did not run for re-election. He will be replaced next month by Democrat Joseph D. Early, Jr.

Mr. Bish had been hoping for an indictment, but said he was not surprised with the outcome. “I know they worked hard for 2-1/2 years,” he said.

It was an excruciating process for Mr. Bish and other family members who were considered suspects along with Ms. Bish’s network of friends, her teachers and her coaches.

“When this first happened, everyone was a suspect, including me,” Mr. Bish said.

State police and Mr. Early both have indicated the investigation will continue, he said.

“I think the indictment will come, we would like it sooner than later, but it will come with time,” he said. “I’m grateful for the work of the good citizens who have donated their time and effort.”

“We have sort of a special connection with this grand jury,” he said. “I don’t know these people, but we have watched their work from a distance. I’m a little sad to see them go.

“We still need everyone’s help. We still need that last bit of information that will result in a big break in Molly’s case,” he said. “I think they’ve looked hard at people who may have been involved with Molly, and do not have the evidence they need to go forward. It may be this information will come in from someone, with something they thought was not important or not related.”

Mr. Conte said there are suspects in the case.

“I think the grand jury was aware of that, but we don’t have the necessary evidence to turn it into an indictment.” he said.

Milton J. Valencia of the Telegram & Gazette staff contributed to this report.  

June 24, 2005

MORE INFORMATION CITED IN BISH CASE

Boston Globe, The (MA)

Without providing specifics, the Worcester district attorney's office revealed yesterday that previously unknown information has been uncovered in the case of Molly Bish, a 16-year-old lifeguard from Warren who disappeared June 27, 2000. Her remains were discovered in Palmer in June 2003. An investigation by State Police and the district attorney's office has generated more than 7,000 leads, according to a news release issued by the district attorney's office. Because of the vast amount of information, the district attorney's office assembled an investigative grand jury to take testimony and preserve evidence. To date, more than 250 witnesses have been called, and more than 70 exhibits have been examined and submitted. Specifics on that information have not been released because of the secrecy rules of grand jury proceedings

June 24, 2005

Molly Bish probe goes on - Abduction still a grand jury focus

Bradford L. Miner, Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA)

WARREN - On the eve of the fifth anniversary of the abduction of Molly A. Bish, District Attorney John J. Conte said a special grand jury continues to press an investigation to bring the killer to justice and to bring answers to the Bish family.

In a press release yesterday, Mr. Conte said the investigation had produced 7,000 leads since the 16-year-old lifeguard's disappearance June 27, 2000, from Comins Pond, where she was last seen by her mother, Magdalen Bish.

"Due to the vast amount of information that had been given to investigators, the District Attorney's office empanelled an investigative grand jury to take testimony and preserve evidence. To date, more than 250 witnesses have been called and more than 70 exhibits have been examined and submitted," the district attorney said.

Mr. Conte said the subpoena power of the grand jury had been used to "command the production of relevant evidence to the investigation and as a result, information previously unknown to investigators has been uncovered."

He said the grand jury will continue, concurrent with other investigative initiatives, but that because of strict secrecy rules governing the proceedings he was not at liberty to comment further on the case.

"I know this time of year is especially difficult for the Bish family, and our personal regards are extended to Magi, John, Heather and John Jr., along with our gratitude and appreciation for their enormous efforts to make the world safer for all children," Mr. Conte said.

That work is carried on daily by the Molly Bish Foundation and the Molly Bish Life "Guards" Center, groups of volunteers who produce children's identification kits and bring safety awareness programs to communities throughout New England.

Those efforts are supported by donations and fund-raisers, and Sunday is the annual Ride for Molly, a 55-mile motorcycle ride to raise money for the Molly Bish Foundation. Ride registration begins at 8 a.m. Sunday at Quaboag Regional Middle High School on Old West Brookfield Road.

The ride begins at 10 a.m. at the school and completes a circle, returning to the school after a scenic ride through western Worcester County.

May 25, 2005

Molly Bish's father set for investigator training

KIM RING; STAFF The Republican (Springfield, MA) kring@repub.com

Bish said he'll use the skills he learns in his work with the foundation named for his late daughter.

WARREN - While he isn't planning a career change, the father of Molly Anne Bish is headed back to college to complete a new training program for private investigators.

John J. Bish Sr. said he'll accept a scholarship offer from Boston University and will take part in the program that will net him a certificate from the school.

"I was very taken aback by their generosity," Bish said. "I had just stopped by to offer support for the program at their open house."

Bish's daughter, then a 16-year-old lifeguard, disappeared from her post in June 2000. Her remains were later found on a remote hillside in nearby Palmer and police believe she was abducted and killed.

Licensed private investigator Thomas P. Shamshak, a family friend of the Bish's, is the primary instructor for the program which will feature guest speakers, including Bish.

"We're delighted to have him as part of the class," said Shamshak, a retired police chief who once served in Spencer. "He certainly has a lot to offer the program."

Bish said he believed private investigators have a lot to offer him, too.

"These people play a critical role in being supportive advocates for families," Bish said.

As they await word from a Worcester Special Grand Jury which has been reviewing evidence and interviewing witnesses for more than a year, the Bishes and families of other missing, abducted and slain children will gather today at the Statehouse in Boston for the Fifth Annual Observance of Massachusetts Missing Children's Day. Some of the cold cases that will be remembered today are receiving special attention from volunteer private investigators who are hoping for the breaks that will bring families some peace.

Bish said he'd use the skills he'll learn as he does work for the foundation named for his late daughter.

At Boston University plans for the fall program are taking shape. Students will take just under 200 hours of classes and training in a variety of areas. Ruth Ann Murray, Director of the Center for Professional Education at the school said offering Bish a scholarship was, "the obvious thing to do."

"He volunteered to come to the class and be a guest speaker," she said, adding that she then offered Bish a spot in the class.

In Massachusetts one of the requirements for obtaining a private investigator's license is the completion of three years of employment as a detective or 10 years as a police officer.

May 19, 2005 

Bish jury continues its probe
Case of missing lifeguard unresolved after 5 years

KIM RING; STAFF The Republican (Springfield, MA) kring@repub.com

WORCESTER - It has been a year since a special grand jury was impaneled to investigate the case of Molly Anne Bish, and, while no one has been indicted, the lifeguard's family has been told that the jury will continue to meet.

"We have been told that they will keep working," said John J. Bish this week.

It has been almost five years since then-16-year-old Molly Anne Bish disappeared from her lifeguard post. Her remains were found in early June 2003 on a rugged hillside in Palmer, a few miles from where she disappeared.

Police believe she was abducted and murdered.

The grand jury has heard testimony from dozens of witnesses, including the Bish family, Molly's friends, local police, and members of the community. The jurors also visited Warren by bus.

Worcester District Attorney John J. Conte said initially that the jury would sit for six months, but as that time drew to a close, an extension was issued. He has not returned several telephone calls in the last two weeks seeking information on the status of the grand jury.

Heather Bish said she spoke with investigators last week, and was assured that the jury would continue to work as long as necessary.

"I think they had taken some time off over the holidays, so they'll probably make that up," she said.

Under state law, the grand jury may serve for as long as needed.

". . . the court may order such grand jury to continue to serve until said investigation has been completed . . ." the law reads.

John Bish said that while the investigation continues, he has been inspired by a recent arrest in the case of Truro fashion writer Christa Worthington, who was found slain in her home in 2002. News that private investigators volunteered their time to look at the case of Jennifer Lynn Fay, a Brockton teenager who vanished in 1989, has also given Bish hope.

A hot line and Web site, www.whereisjennifer.org, have yielded information that could prove helpful in solving the case.

"I think what we know is that the circumstances of these cases seem to say that you'd better be ready to go for the long haul," Bish said. "We have to make sure evidence is properly preserved and stored because it can take years to solve these things."

And he knows that some parents wait forever without answers.

"Hopefully, they'll have an indictment (in the case)," Bish said. "But I have come to understand that there are many cases that go unsolved."

The Bish case remains open with a reward offered for information that leads to Molly's killer.

State Sen. Stephen M. Brewer, D-Barre, along with former State Rep. Reed V. Hillman, R-Sturbridge, former State Rep. David H. Tuttle, R-Barre, and Friendly's Ice Cream Corp. co-founder S. Prestley Blake, posted a $100,000 reward in the case.

December 9, 2004 

Worcester DA extends probe by Bish grand jury

Boston Herald (MA)

Worcester District Attorney John J. Conte said he has extended by six months ongoing sessions of the grand jury hearing evidence in the 2000 brutal kidnapping and murder of a 16-year-old West Warren lifeguard.

"We put a lot of time and effort into this case, and we don't want to leave any stone unturned," Conte said yesterday of the Molly Bish case.

Conte said the investigative database is filled with 4,000 pieces of information.

Bish's father said the extension means that authorities are committed to solving the crime.

"The ideal is that they would be able to hand down an indictment," John Bish said.

August 25, 2004

Bish parents ready to be quizzed again

FRANCI RICHARDSON, Boston Herald (MA)

The parents of the 16-year-old lifeguard who vanished from her secluded post four years ago expect to be called at least one more time before a grand jury before it adjourns later this year.

"We might have to go back," Molly Bish's father, John Bish, said yesterday. "I hope we do. We want to, even though it's a difficult process. We want to be as available to them as possible."

Bish, his wife, Magi, and their other daughter, Heather, testified for a second time Monday before the 23-member panel. The group was convened to hear evidence and possibly return an indictment in the unsolved June 2000 kidnapping and murder of Molly Bish.

Worcester District Attorney John J. Conte refused comment, citing the secret proceedings.

John Bish said most of the prosecutor's questions focused on the hours leading up to his daughter's disappearance and were asked of his wife, who dropped Molly at Comins Pond in Warren the Tuesday she vanished.

"I wish I could take some of this off her shoulders because the police always come to her," he said. "The focus was still on her primarily because she spoke with Molly about a friend being injured on the day before, because she brought her to work, and what things were like when she was notified" that Molly disappeared.

Shortly after the kidnapping, parents and police theorized Molly, who had been concerned about a friend who had been hospitalized, abandoned her post to visit her in the hospital.

They soon learned, however, that there was "no reason to consider she'd run away from her job even though her friend was in the hospital," John Bish said.

Molly Bish's skeletal remains were found last year, almost three years to the day after she vanished.

August 24, 2004

Bish family answers more questions

Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA)

WORCESTER -- For the second time in three months, family members of Molly A. Bish were questioned by a special grand jury investigating the death of the 16-year-old lifeguard, whose remains were found last summer in the woods of Palmer.

``They just wanted us to review the day's events from when Molly disappeared,'' said John Bish, Molly's father. He met with the grand jury yesterday, along with Molly's mother and sister.

``The grand jury is working hard,'' John Bish said. ``They have a lot of material to go through, but there's no hint of a specific individual they're focusing on or a theory or direction they're going in.''

Family members were first interviewed by the grand jury in May, shortly after the 23-member panel was convened by Worcester District Attorney John J. Conte.

At the time, Conte said the investigation would take at least six months.

``There's nothing new to report,'' Elizabeth Stammo, Conte's spokeswoman, said yesterday. ``The grand jury is in session today and will be for the rest of the month.''

Conte has said there were ``plenty of suspects'' in the case of Bish, who disappeared June 27, 2000, from her lifeguard post at Comins Pond in Warren.

Her remains were discovered in neighboring Palmer in June 2003 after a four-week search of a 55-acre wooded area.

The grand jury has the authority to call witnesses and could force uncooperative witnesses to testify or hold them in contempt if they refuse. Conte has said more than 100 witnesses could be called.

Conte has said in the past that 11 people have failed lie detector tests when questioned in the case. Several area sex offenders have also been questioned.

May 26, 2004

MAGDALEN BISH TESTIFIES ABOUT ORDEAL

Boston Globe, The (MA)

Magdalen Bish, mother of a 16-year-old lifeguard who was abducted and murdered, testified yesterday before a Worcester County grand jury about her daughter's disappearance nearly four years ago. Accompanied by her husband, John, who already testified, Magdalen Bish said she felt shaken after speaking about the ordeal. Magdalen Bish praised Worcester County District Attorney John Conte for his pursuit of the case

May 25, 2004

Bish jury gets testimony

KIM RING; STAFF The Republican (Springfield, MA) kring@repub.com

WORCESTER - The men who last year led police to a bathing suit in the Palmer woods testified before a Worcester Grand Jury looking into the Molly Anne Bish case.

Ricky Boudreau of Hardwick and Timothy McGuigan of Auburn were called before the Grand Jury yesterday. Boudreau said he spent about 10 minutes explaining how he found the bathing suit while hunting near the Nemaneseck Sportsmen's Club late in 2002 but never realized Bish was wearing a blue bathing suit when she vanished from her lifeguard post at Comins Pond in Warren in June 2000.

An extensive search of the area sparked by the discovery, led police to Bish's remains.

"It was the same things the cops asked me," Boudreau said of his testimony.

When he later met McGuigan, who was writing a book about Holly Piirainen, a young murder victim who'd been kidnapped from Sturbridge several years ago in a case that remains unsolved, Boudreau realized the bathing suit could be Bish's.

The two men went to the area and located the suit which was collected by police the next day.

Boudreau's sister, Shelly Vadnais, along with State Trooper Robert Benoit and McGuigan's former roommate Jay Harrington of Ware, were also in court yesterday.

The Grand Jury proceedings are secret and not open to the press or the public. Worcester County District Attorney John J. Conte has said the investigation could take up to one year and may involve as many as 100 witnesses.

May 21, 2004 

MOLLY BISH SLAYING LEAVES OLDER BROTHER HAUNTED, QUESTIONING

Connie Paige, Globe Correspondent

John Bish Jr. always wanted to grow up to be a police officer, or even a Secret Service agent. He was studying law enforcement in college when his little sister Molly vanished in June 2000. Overnight, he gave it all up.

From then on, life stood still for Bish, 24, even after the skeletal remains of his sister were found last year, and prosecutors declared her a murder victim.

"I've been on a roller-coaster ride," said Bish, of North Brookfield, the one member of his family who has shunned media interviews throughout the ordeal. "It emotionally beats you up. It really does."

But after testifying this week before a Worcester County grand jury probing the abduction and slaying of Molly Bish, he said he is making plans for the future again. Recently he decided to study for a real estate license and buy a three-decker apartment house.

In an office at the Ludlow tolls on the Massachusetts Turnpike, where Bish works as a toll collector, he said that the enormous brotherly guilt is starting to ebb. Time has helped, and speaking publicly about his sister.

"I was her mentor," he said. "She was my best friend, my sister."

Of course, he still turns that day over and over in his mind, June 27, 2000. She was 16.

At about 10 a.m. that day, Molly's mother, Magdalen, dropped Molly off at Comins Pond in Warren for her lifeguard job. Shortly after 1 p.m., Magdalen Bish showed up at the construction site where her son was working, alerting him to Molly's disappearance. He raced to the pond, a former quarry, and dove as far down as he could, looking for any sign of his sister. After two hours of searching under water, Bish emerged exhausted and let professional divers take over.

It was only later that Bish said he had time to think. And then, he was struck by a tremendous sense of responsibility. He second guessed himself. If only he hadn't encouraged Molly to follow his footsteps into lifeguarding at Comins Pond.

Maybe he shouldn't have pushed her, stressing the importance of developing skills and experience and saving her earnings from the $8.75-an-hour job to buy a car, as he had done.

After she received the Red Cross certification, he told her where to get the police radio, first-aid kit and other equipment. He even reminded her of the signs to look for in a swimmer in trouble.

But, he said, he didn't think to tell her to be wary of strangers or to be suspicious of men she didn't know.

"I should have known," he said. "It's a beach no one knows about. It's secluded. I never really put two and two together," he said. Molly had said she felt safe and he believed she would be OK.

Molly was working as a lifeguard during the week and her brother was going to fill in on weekends. She had been on the job only eight days when she disappeared.

Now Bish thinks of the countless hours they spent together as children, building forts, riding bikes, and kicking balls around the yard. She emulated just about everything he did. When he took up baseball, basketball, and soccer, so did Molly. When he got an all-terrain vehicle, she learned to ride it, too.

After Molly disappeared, Bish dropped out of Western New England College and gave up on a career in law enforcement.

"I don't want to deal with it, all the stuff you see," he explained. "I don't want to see reality."

He got a tattoo to remind him of his sister: His right thigh says "Molly," festooned with flowers.

While his parents have appeared on national television for interviews and have started a foundation to help safeguard children, Bish has avoided press interviews and many public events about Molly. He said he is proud of his parents for their advocacy, but has not chosen to join them.

Bish's father, John Sr., whose car was reportedly stolen while he testified before the grand jury yesterday, said his son has had a particularly hard time with Molly's death and that his appearance before the grand jury earlier this week, seemed to have a positive effect.

John Bish Jr. acknowledged that he felt good about testifying. Finally, he said he felt he was doing something constructive for Molly. Unlike other members of the family, John Bish Jr. has refused to get counseling, saying he doesn't trust therapists to understand his grief.

"They're trained, but they never have been through it," he said. "I don't want to talk to somebody who doesn't know what they're talking about.

"I'm trying to avoid the whole situation, exclude myself from everything, because it's painful," he said. "It hurts."

He is hopeful that the investigation will yield an arrest and conviction, but nothing, he says, will ever end his grief.

"That will put closure on it, but it won't make me feel any better, really," he said. "I still don't get to see her graduate from high school. I don't get to see her get married. I still don't have my sister."

May 20, 2004

Bish case grand jury listens to testimony

KIM RING; STAFF The Republican (Springfield, MA), kring@repub.com

John J. Bish did not testify as expected, though others who searched for Bish were questioned yesterday.

WORCESTER - The boy who escorted Molly Anne Bish to her junior prom was among the witnesses called to testify yesterday before a Worcester County Grand Jury investigating the death of the Warren lifeguard.

Steven Lukas, who was Bish's boyfriend of about three months at the time of her disappearance, appeared in court yesterday and said he testified before the grand jury but declined to comment further.

Lukas has changed since the girl he said he was in love with disappeared. Four years older, he wears glasses, his blond hair longer and curly, he would be hard to recognize from the widely circulated photograph of himself alongside Bish in her white prom dress and gloves.

Bish's remains were found on a remote hillside off West Warren Road in Palmer in spring 2003. Police believe she was abducted from her lifeguard post at Comins Pond June 27, 2000, in Warren and murdered.

Lukas was among the first people to arrive at the pond after Bish disappeared. Others who were at the scene early that day also were in court yesterday.

Park Commissioner Edward Fett was in the courthouse. Fett has said he complied with a request for a DNA sample though he was unable to complete a polygraph test because he was so upset after Bish's disappearance. He declined to be interviewed this week.

Lukas also reportedly took a polygraph test and passed.

John J. Bish, who was expected to testify yesterday, did not appear before the grand jury. Magdalen Bish is slated to testify next week, as is former police officer Timothy McGuigan who led police to a bathing suit like Bish's last year, sparking the search that found her remains.

Former Warren Patrolman Edward Page also appeared before the grand jury yesterday. Page was among the police officers called in to search for Bish in the hours after she was reported missing. Page, who resigned in a settlement deal with the town, said he hopes the grand jury helps to bring resolution to the Bish case.

"I think this is a time we all need to pray for the Bish family," he said. "This is difficult for them."

May 19, 2004 

BISH'S SIBLINGS TESTIFY BEFORE PANEL

Connie Paige, Globe Correspondent

WORCESTER - The experience dredged up difficult memories, but John Bish Jr. and Heather Gresty said they were glad to testify before a special Worcester County grand jury yesterday to help identify the killer of their sister, Molly Bish, the 16-year-old life guard who was abducted nearly four years ago.

"We started this journey for Molly, and we want this person to know that we are very dedicated together to finding him, so that he doesn't harm another child," Gresty, 27, said, holding hands with her brother before the two entered the grand jury room at the Worcester County Courthouse.

Afterward, the siblings said they had told prosecutors and grand jurors about their sister: her character, athleticism, friends, and the two jobs she held in June 2000, when she disappeared from her hometown of Warren.

Her brother said he described to the jurors one of Molly's jobs, working as a lifeguard at Comins Pond, where he had worked two summers before her.

Bish Jr., 24, of Warren, said he had coached Molly on how to perform lifeguarding duties, and he described some of the regulars who frequented the pond. In a telephone interview late Monday, John Bish Sr. said that his son was not at the swimming hole the day Molly disappeared.

Last June, skeletal remains were found in nearby Palmer that later were identified through DNA testing as belonging to Molly Bish.

Worcester District Attorney John J. Conte, who empaneled the grand jury, has said that as many as 100 witnesses may be called, and the investigation may take six months or longer. 

May 19, 2004

REGION In Brief
Bish grand jury opens testimony

Boston Herald (MA)

A special Worcester County grand jury began hearing testimony concerning the murder of Warren lifeguard Molly Bish yesterday, with the first witnesses her brother and sister.

Bish's father, John, is scheduled to testify today and his wife, Magi, will appear before the grand jury later this month.

District Attorney John J. Conte called for the special grand jury in an attempt to solve the 16-year-old Bish's disappearance and murder in June 2000.

More than 100 witnesses have been subpoened, including several people who have refused to cooperate with the police investigation.

May 19, 2004 

Bish's siblings testify for investigative jury

KIM RING; STAFF The Republican (Springfield, MA), kring@repub.com

WORCESTER - Heather Bish said yesterday that she was honored to be the first of an estimated 100 witnesses who have been called before a grand jury convened to investigate the death of her sister Molly Anne Bish.

Bish's remains were found on a remote hillside off West Warren Road in Palmer in spring 2003. Police believe she was abducted June 27, 2000, from her lifeguard post at Comins Pond in Warren and murdered.

District Attorney John J. Conte convened the grand jury, which started work Monday and yesterday heard from Bish's siblings Heather and John Bish Jr. for about three hours.

John Bish Jr. said he provided the 23-member grand jury with information about Comins Pond, where his then 16-year-old sister was working as a lifeguard when she disappeared.

The two are the first of about 100 witnesses expected to be called as the grand jury reviews evidence and questions witnesses. The process could take as much as a year to complete.

Molly Bish's father, John J. Bish, is expected to testify today. He said he is sure he will be asked about his youngest daughter and her social and family life. "We have to go in this direction," he said, "in order to have this move forward." His wife, Magdelen M. Bish, will be called next week.

While the jury is learning about the teen from family members, they will hear former police officer Timothy McGuigan discuss the discovery of a bathing suit like the one Bish was wearing when she vanished.

McGuigan, who was led to the bathing suit last year by hunter Ricky Boudreau, said he will testify Monday. "We all hope for the same outcome," he said.

Heather Bish said questioning from the jurors was "pretty intense."

She said she was asked to describe her family, her sister and her sister's friends. She said a prosecutor and members of the jury asked her questions and took notes.

"They did seem very, very dedicated," she said. "I think they have a strategy."

May 18, 2004 

SPECIAL GRAND JURY SEATED IN BISH CASE

Boston Globe, The (MA)

A special grand jury was empaneled yesterday to hear testimony in the case of Molly Bish, the teenager whose skeletal remains were found last June. Elizabeth Stammo, a spokeswoman for Worcester District Attorney John Conte, did not say when the grand jury will start hearing testimony, which could last for at least six months. When he announced last month that he would use the grand jury to probe the suspected abduction and murder of the Warren teen, Conte said they could hear evidence from as many as 100 witnesses and look at seven possible suspects. Bish, 16, disappeared in June 2000 after her mother dropped her off at Comins Pond in Warren, where she was a lifeguard. Last year, a blue bathing suit was found about five miles from her lifeguard post. Using dogs, police eventually found several of Bish's bones in Palmer.

May 18, 2004

Bish family to testify at grand jury hearing in 2000 murder

TOM FARMER, Boston Herald (MA)

The still-grieving siblings of slain Warren lifeguard Molly Bish are expected to be the first of more than 100 witnesses to appear before a special grand jury probing Bish's 2000 disappearance and murder when it convenes for testimony today.

Called at the behest of Worcester District Attorney John J. Conte, the grand jury seated yesterday expected to hear today from Molly Bish's brother John and sister Heather.

Her father John Bish is scheduled to testify tomorrow.

"This is probably the most significant development since Molly's remains were found," John Bish said yesterday.

"People who haven't cooperated have to cooperate now. We know there are a few people who haven't wanted to talk to the police and that's disturbing."

Conte called for the grand jury in part to force the testimony of potential suspects who have refused to be interviewed by investigators.

The grand jury, which state law requires to work in secrecy, also has subpoena power to call witnesses or gather evidence.

Prosecutor Richard Greeco will present forensic evidence and has already summonsed more than 100 witnesses, Conte said.

The grand jury is scheduled to hear testimony for at least six months but will probably sit for up to a year.

The 16-year-old Bish disappeared from Warren's Comins Pond in June 2000 and her skeletal remains were found nearly three years later in a wooded section of Palmer.

John Bish said his family is praying Molly's killer will one day be identified.

"Our dream and our hope and prayers are someone being indicted," he said. `We need this for our family."

May 18, 2004 

Grand jury empaneled in Bish case - Evidence to be studied

Christina E. Sanchez, Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA)

WORCESTER -- Worcester District Attorney John J. Conte began empaneling jurors yesterday for an investigative grand jury that will review evidence in connection with the death of 16-year-old Molly A. Bish.

Elizabeth A. Stammo, spokeswoman for the district attorney's office, said yesterday she could not discuss the details of the grand jury process, the investigation or how many witnesses will be called.

In an earlier interview, Mr. Conte said his office will spend six months, or longer if needed, presenting evidence about the case to a special grand jury. His office also will use the power of the subpoena process to summons more than 100 witnesses to testify under oath.

The district attorney's office has been collecting and sorting through information and evidence since Molly's disappearance June 27, 2000, from Comins Pond in Warren where she worked as a lifeguard.

Molly's parents, Magdalen and John J. Bish of Warren, could not be reached last night for comment about the start of the investigative grand jury.

May 15, 2004 

Grand jury to hear Bish case evidence

FRANCI RICHARDSON, Boston Herald (MA)

As a special Worcester County Grand Jury convenes Monday to hear evidence in the kidnapping murder of Molly Bish, her father said he will spend the weekend praying for help to make it through yet another test of his family's strength.

"We have a certain fear that we're going to learn more about what happened to Molly," the 16-year-old Warren lifeguard's father, John Bish, said yesterday. "We need to know, but to hear what was done to her and who may have done it is going to be difficult."

Prosecutor Richad Greeco will present forensic evidence and has summonsed more than 100 witnesses to testify at Worcester Superior Court before 23 grand jurors over the next six months.

Molly Bish's brother, John, and sister, Heather, are scheduled to be questioned Tuesday, and her father is scheduled to testify Wednesday.

"We're happy that there is a grand jury sitting because at the very least, I think we'd all hope they would return an indictment on someone, but my belief is if they assemble a solid foundation of testimony, that would be most helpful," Bish said.

Evidence will include testing done at the crime scene when Molly Bish's remains were found in June atop a heavily wooded section of Palmer. Police found 26 bones that they determined belonged to Bish.

Her family viewed her remains and gave her a proper burial in August.

"We did see her as she was and said goodbye one more time," her father said. "It has given us some peace, though the memory of it is disturbing. I think (the grand jury) is the same thing. We're just trying to be as strong as we can in the process."

April 24, 2004 

SPECIAL GRAND JURY TO SIFT THROUGH CLUES IN BISH CASE

John Ellement, Globe Staff, and Peter DeMarco, Globe Correspondent

Worcester District Attorney John J. Conte said yesterday that the special grand jury that will probe the disappearance and death of lifeguard Molly Bish will take months to sift through thousands of pieces of evidence that police have amassed since they began investigating the case of the 16-year-old, who disappeared in June 2000. Her remains were found last June.

Conte said the special grand jury is likely to hear from up to 100 witnesses and will look at seven people police have identified as suspects.

"This is a very unusual case," Conte said yesterday. "Here we are, four years later, and we have evidence. Usually, a case like this would not be alive this long."

Conte said the special grand jury will convene next month and will meet "a couple weeks" each month, and will probably remain in existence for longer than the typical six-month lifespan of such a panel.

Conte said investigators will continue to pay attention to seven suspects who have already gotten some scrutiny. But he stressed that he has not concluded that the person who killed Bish is among those seven people. It may be someone else, he said.

"At one point we were concentrating on seven suspects" he said. "And we are not discounting that. Those seven are still there.

"But we are not tying ourselves" to just that pool, Conte said. "We have suspects. We don't have a target."

The Worcester district attorney's office is using a computer database to organize the information investigators have collected. The database contains about 6,000 pieces of information, but has been pared to 4,000 to 4,500 items that deserve priority attention.

"Some of the things we get are way off the wall and other things are very pertinent," Conte said, adding that tips continue to be sent to investigators on an almost daily basis.

Conte said one sign of how active the investigation has been came this week when someone called to suggest that Worcester County authorities check with Taunton police on a rape investigation, noting that the sketch police there had released had similarities to one produced in the Bish investigation. Conte said Bish investigators have discounted any connection with Taunton.

The disappearance of the Warren teenager has drawn national attention and transformed her parents, John and Magdalen Bish, into marqee advocates for changes in the state's criminal justice system. Earlier this month, the Bishes helped launch the Molly Bish Center for the Protection of Children and the Elderly, at Anna Maria College in Paxton.

Yesterday, John Bish said he and his family have sometimes become desperate to see an end to the investigation. He also said they welcome the special grand jury, even though it is likely to lead to renewed emotional trauma for his family.

"It's really Magi who has to do all this," Bish said of his wife. "She was the last one to see her. To watch her go through the pain and anguish she has when telling the story to police. . . . It's pretty tough to watch your wife go through that.

"But we're going to do it," he said. "We're going to rest up, and get ready, as best you can. We'll cooperate with anyone to find this person."

Magdalen Bish dropped her daughter off at Comins Pond in their hometown of Warren on June 27, 2000. Molly Bish was never seen alive again, and her remains and her bathing suit were discovered in Palmer in June.

"I know it's a big deal; it's the biggest development since they found Molly, really," John Bish said of the special grand jury. "God willing, it will yield something so we can find the person who did this. Not only for Molly, but for other families. If this person is still out there, we want to make sure he doesn't do it again."

At the family's request, Conte's office has sent pieces of Molly's bathing suit for DNA analysis by the FBI. Bish said he does not know of any connection between the decision to call the grand jury and the additional testing.

Conte said he will use the powers of the grand jury, especially the right to subpoena records and compel the testimony of individuals, as a critical tool in the unsolved murder.

"We want focus and we want continuity," he said. "We want to get people on the record. We want to get people who are very cooperative, and we want to get people who have not been cooperative" to appear before the grand jury.

Conte declined to identify the witnesses who will appear before the special grand jury, nor would he discuss forensic evidence police have collected. "We are trying to solve the case," he said "That's all I can tell you."

John Ellement can be reached at ellement@globe.com.

April 24, 2004 

Bish grand jury faces challenge

KIM RING; STAFF The Republican (Springfield, MA),kring@repub.com

WORCESTER - Citizens selected to serve on a special grand jury that will review the Molly Anne Bish case will be different people when their work is completed months from now, says an assistant district attorney.

Renee L. Steese, first assistant district attorney for the Northwestern District Attorney's Office in Northampton, said yesterday that sitting on a grand jury is a life-changing and challenging experience.

"It can be very difficult dealing with the subject matter," agreed Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth D. Scheibel.

But the grand jury can be an important tool, especially in cases where investigators feel they need additional evidence or testimony that has remained out of their reach.

"It is a vehicle by which to get information," Scheibel said.

Grand juries are typically seated for three months, and may review several cases during their tenure. If the time needed for a particular case is longer than anticipated, the jury's impanelment time can be extended.

A special grand jury, such as the one Worcester District Attorney John J. Conte plans to convene next month, is used to look specifically at one case, usually for a longer period.

The special grand jury can review evidence, hear testimony, subpoena evidence, and, if it pins down a suspect, return an indictment that could lead to a trial.

"Prosecutors go to the grand jury and identify relevant pieces of evidence they would like to subpoena," said Steese.

While members of the grand jury do not function as police, they may bring potential evidence in for review and can also force witnesses or suspects to appear before them. But not all witnesses may testify.

"The grand jury can't compel them to testify against their Fifth Amendment rights," Scheibel said.

Sometimes, a particularly difficult but valuable witness is granted immunity in exchange for testimony, she said.

Conte said the grand jury will be asked to hear testimony from as many as 100 people in connection with the disappearance and death of Molly Anne Bish, the then-16-year-old lifeguard who disappeared from Comins Pond on June 27, 2000. Her remains were found last spring after a hunter reported seeing a bathing suit in the rugged area off West Warren Road in Palmer.

Bish's parents, John J. and Magdalen M. Bish, are continuing their work fingerprinting and photographing children for identification kits. Today, they will be at Lowe's Home Improvement Center on Boston Road 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

They have mixed emotions about the convening of the special grand jury, but hope it means that their daughter's killer is going to be caught.

During grand jury testimony, witnesses will be questioned by an assistant district attorney, and will also face queries from the jurors themselves. All of the proceedings are secret, Scheibel said.

As news of the development in the case reached Warren yesterday, residents said they are reluctant to become too hopeful after almost four years of waiting.

"We've had so many ups and downs in this case," said William Witasek from his business, Bill's Citgo, in downtown Warren. "Are they just shaking the tree to see what falls out, or are they going in a direction?"

Parks Commissioner Edward Fett, who reported Bish missing, said last night he had not heard about the grand jury. He said he believes he has been cleared as a suspect after talking several times with police, but said he will testify if asked.

Registered sex offender Oscar Baillargeon said yesterday he would also talk to the grand jury if asked. He has been questioned in the case, handed over a DNA sample, and taken a polygraph after some people reported that he looked like the sketch of a man Magdalen Bish saw at the pond on the day before her daughter vanished.

"I don't know what else I can tell them," he said. "I didn't do it."

Timothy McGuigan, the embattled former police officer who is penning a book about the case of Holly Piirainen, a 10-year-old from Grafton whose 1993 abduction from Sturbridge and subsequent slaying remain unsolved, said he, too, will testify if called. McGuigan led police to a bathing suit similar to Molly's in the woods off West Warren Road last spring.

April 23, 2004 

NEW TRY TO FIND BISH'S KILLER - GRAND JURY REPORTED TO BE FORMING SOON

David Abel, Globe Staff

A grand jury will be empaneled to investigate the death of Molly Bish, the 16-year-old girl who disappeared in June 2000 near a pond in Warren, according to media reports.

John Bish, the girl's father, could not confirm the report, but if it's true, "It's a big development," he said. "I wouldn't say we're ecstatic, but we're very happy about this.

"We're feeling pretty desperate, and this is encouraging for us. We do believe they'll find this person."

The grand jury is expected to begin its work at the end of May, Worcester District Attorney John J. Conte told The Republican of Springfield.

Conte, who did not return calls to the Globe last night, said there were "plenty of suspects" in the case of the girl, who had been missing for three years before the discovery of her remains.

"This is an important step forward," he told the newspaper.

The grand jury would have the authority to call witnesses and could force uncooperative witnesses to testify. Conte has said in the past that 11 people have failed lie detector tests when questioned in the case. Several area sex offenders also have been questioned.

John Bish said last night that authorities had not told him about the grand jury probe, but he welcomed it.

"It's a surprising development," he told the Associated Press. "We're very happy to hear it."

State Senator Stephen M. Brewer, Democrat of Barre, a personal friend of the Bish family, called the possible formation of a special grand jury a "positive sign" in the case.

"The district attorney has been public about the fact that he has had a number of suspects over the years, but you do not bring one to trial unless you can secure a conviction," Brewer said.

Molly Bish disappeared from her lifeguard post at Comins Pond in Warren on June 27, 2000.

Last year, a hunter reported spotting a bathing suit like the one she was wearing when she disappeared. Her remains were discovered in neighboring Palmer last June after an exhaustive four-week search of a 55-acre wooded area.

There have been no arrests in the case.

E. Lee Bombria, who was a selectman at the time of Bish's disappearance, has known the family for about 10 years.

"We are probably all very hopeful," Bombria told The Republican. "We would like to see some final closure."

Memo: Reports from the Associated Press were used in this article.

April 23, 2004 

Bish case grand jury to quiz 100+ witnesses

FRANCI RICHARDSON and TOM FARMER, Boston Herald

Investigators probing the June 2000 kidnapping and murder of Warren lifeguard Molly Bish will convene a special grand jury and summons more than a 100 witnesses in a full court press to push the probe forward, Worcester County District Attorney John J. Conte confirmed yesterday.

"I'm very happy," said Molly's father, John Bish.

"I know the state police and Mr. Conte's office have worked very hard and kept us informed and we always have confidence that they will find the person who harmed Molly and I know they will."

Conte said 16 to 23 people will sit on the grand jury for six months beginning in late May.

More than 100 witnesses will be called to testify, the DA added.

"We're going to subpoena people to come before the grand jury and tell us what they know about the Molly Bish case," said Conte.

"We're going to put it all on the record, under oath."

Conte said one possible outcome of the sitting is the return of an indictment.

"There's a lot of investigative reports and information we've acquired in the last four years," he said.

The 16-year-old lifeguard was kidnapped in June 2000 from Warren's Comins Pond.

Her whereabouts remained a mystery until her skeletal remains were found in a heavily wooded section of Palmer last June, nearly three years to the day she disappeared.

While investigators have little evidence to work with, a grand jury would allow them to subpoena witnesses who would be required to testify under oath.

A number of potential suspects police have contacted have refused to cooperate.

If they still won't testify before the grand jury, they could be found in contempt, Conte said.

John Bish said the special grand jury will be a boost to the investigation.

"I'd like to see that happen because of all the advantages it would bring," he said.

"It would get people on the record and under oath."

The FBI is also continuing its testing on Molly's torn bathing suit that was found near her remains last summer in an effort to recoup DNA.

Bish had disappeared without a trace, police finding no signs of violence at the pond where she had been dropped off for work by her mother.

Conte said at least seven potential suspects have been identified by police, but investigators have yet to come up with a big break that could lead them to an arrest.

"Our whole intent is to solve the crime," he said.

April 23, 2004 

Bish grand jury called

KIM RING; STABILE; STAFF The Republican (Springfield, MA)

The district attorney said there are "plenty of suspects" in the case.

WORCESTER - A special grand jury will be convened in the Molly Anne Bish case starting at the end of May, Worcester County District Attorney John J. Conte said.

The grand jury is expected to be impaneled for a six-month period but an exact date has not been set, Conte said.

John J. and Magdalen M. Bish said they hope the grand jury, which has the authority to call in witnesses to testify and could force uncooperative subjects into court, can gain new information in the case of their daughter, who was abducted from her lifeguard post at Comins Pond in Warren June 27, 2000.

The news comes almost a year after Bish's remains were found in early June 2003, on a rugged hillside in Palmer a few miles from where she disappeared.

Conte said there are "plenty of suspects" in the case. In the past, Conte has said that 11 people have failed lie detector tests. Several area sex offenders have been questioned on the case, as well.

"This is an important step forward," Conte said.

John Bish, who was surprised by the news, agreed.

"This is a big development," he said. "A major development, and even if it doesn't bring in a suspect, at least they will have more evidence, people's status can be checked, alibis can be checked."

Conte said during the opening of the Molly Bish Center at Anna Maria College in Paxton last week that a piece of evidence had recently been sent to the FBI for further analysis.

While they're hopeful the case will be solved, Molly's family has mixed emotions about the possibility that they may one day sit in a courtroom facing their daughter's killer.

"I don't relish the thought of the process of being in court and hearing what happened to Molly," John Bish said.

Magdalen Bish said she would testify, if called, because her daughter would want the case solved.

"She was never vindictive. She wouldn't want it for herself; she would want it for the other kids he might hurt," Magdalen Bish said.

The news has renewed hope in the community, as well.

E. Lee Bombria, who was a selectman at the time of Bish's disappearance, has known the family for about 10 years.

"We are probably all very hopeful," Bombria said. "We would like to see some final closure."

Bombria's wife, Tina, who has helped the Bishes fingerprint and photograph children, echoed her husband.

"I think it's great if they're going to go forward. We need some closure," she said.

State Sen. Stephen M. Brewer, D-Barre, said the news was comforting. "This is good. Maybe what they're going to do is seek probable cause for a trial and an indictment," Brewer said.

Brewer, along with state Rep. Reed V. Hillman, R-Sturbridge and former state Rep. David H. Tuttle, R-Barre, and Friendly's co-founder S. Prestley Blake put up a $100,000 reward in the case.

Hillman said he has remained hopeful that Molly's killer will be found.

Last night, Molly's niece Mikaela Gresty played with the family's two cats, Hope and Justice, as her mother, Heather Bish, told reporters she hopes her sister's killer will be found.

"As much as it scares me, it has to be solved," she said.

MOLLY BISH TIMELINE

The following dates highlight significant events in the search for Molly Anne Bish, 16.

- June 27, 2000: The teen-ager disappears from her lifeguard post at Comins Pond in Warren around 10 a.m., leaving behind her shoes, backpack and a first-aid kit.

- June 28, 2000: More than 200 professional searchers comb the area around the pond. A month later, police use sonar equipment to search the pond.

- June 29, 2000: Worcester County District Attorney John J. Conte announces there are six or seven suspects.

- July 6, 2000: Composite sketch is released of a man seen in a white car at the pond the day before Bish disappeared.

- April 19, 2002: A crew from the television show "Unsolved Mysteries" films a segment on Bish's disappearance. The show is scheduled to air in late August. At the same time, Conte announces there are new suspects.

- May 16, 2003: Acting on a hunter's tip, investigators find a bathing suit that may have been Bish's in a wooded area near the Palmer town line about 5 miles from where the teen disappeared.

- June 3, 2003: Searchers looking in the woods off West Warren Road near the Palmer-Ware town line discover a human bone believed to be of a person 14 to 20 years old. The bone is found just 500 feet from where the bathing suit was found. More bones are found throughout the month.

- June 9, 2003: Conte confirms that the bones belong to Bish.

- April 18, 2004: The Molly Bish Center for the Protection of Children and the Elderly opens at Anna Maria College in Paxton.

- April 22, 2004: Conte says that a special grand jury will be convened to hear testimony in the case.

April 23, 2004

Bish killing to go before a special grand jury - Conte: `We are looking to solve this case'

Christina E. Sanchez, Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA)

WORCESTER -- An investigative grand jury will convene at the end of May to review evidence and hear testimony from witnesses in connection with the death of 16-year-old Molly A. Bish, according to Worcester District Attorney John J. Conte.

Molly's father, John J. Bish, said he and his wife, Magdalen, were encouraged to hear the news yesterday that nearly four years after their daughter's disappearance, the district attorney will be taking another step toward bringing the killer to justice.

The district attorney's office will spend six months presenting evidence to a special grand jury, Mr. Conte said. The evidence has been collected since Molly's disappearance on June 27, 2000, from Comins Pond in Warren.

The district attorney's office will ask for a time extension if needed after the six months have expired, he added.

``We plan to call 100 witnesses. We will require that people testify under oath. This is an investigative grand jury and we will be using the subpoena process,'' Mr. Conte said. ``We are looking to solve this case, and we'll just have to see where this process takes us.''

Mr. Conte declined to comment on whether his office has a prime suspect in the case, but he said his office does have suspects.

For the past three and half months, the district attorney's office has been intensely sorting through massive amounts of information in its computer databases, he said.

``To sift through all the information has been a time-consuming and a very prodigious job. It's a case where we have more evidence than has ever been accumulated in any case we've done, and we have had many high-profile cases throughout the years,'' Mr. Conte said.

More information is amassed each day in relation to the case, he said, much of it from phone calls offering tips to the district attorney's office.

``We know who we plan to present and when we will present, and then we will see what happens from there,'' Mr. Conte said.

Mr. Bish said he learned yesterday afternoon that the grand jury would be brought in and he has not had a chance to speak with the state police or the district attorney.

``It's encouraging news. It's also surprising news. It has been four years since Molly went missing and almost a year since her remains were found and we are hoping something will come of this,'' Mr. Bish said. ``This is big because it's a grand jury. From what I understand, the special grand jury will be dedicated to finding out what happened to Molly.''

Mr. Bish said the district attorney's office and the state police have been working very hard on his daughter's case and only good can come of this grand jury.

``Even in the end, if we don't have a prime suspect or an indictment, we will have a solid base that we can work from. We're very hopeful. We won't give up until we bring this person to justice. This person thinks we will never find him, but we will,'' he said.

The family hopes to find the killer not only for Molly's sake, but to protect other children against the same predator, Mr. Bish said.

``I don't relish the thought of a trial or hearing what happened to Molly. Finding her body gave us a little piece of resolution and that little piece goes a long way,'' he said. ``Whether it will give us what is referred to as closure, I am not sure, but it will give us resolution and that's what makes this (grand jury) so important. We're taking small steps in the right direction.''

Mr. Bish said there is not a day that goes by that he does not reflect on his memories of Molly.

``We will always miss Molly. I sometimes think I hear her voice and half expect her to come through the front door,'' he said.

State Sen. Stephen M. Brewer, D-Barre, and state Rep. Reed V. Hillman, R-Sturbridge, both longtime friends of the Bish family, said it is encouraging that the district attorney will convene the grand jury.

Mr. Brewer, who recently spent time with the Bish family, said the family remains dedicated to finding Molly's killer.

``Their resoluteness is that they indeed will find Molly's killer and bring him to justice,'' Mr. Brewer said.

Mr. Hillman, who has known Mr. Bish since the early 1970s, said he feels the district attorney's office has assembled an extraordinary team of people and used many resources to make this step toward resolving the case possible.

``I am very pleased to hear that district attorney has decided that this may help solve Molly's abduction and murder. We want to bring closure to the Bishes, but also to get a predator off the street,'' Mr. Hillman said. 

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