WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) — A Pawtucket man has been arrested in connection with a Warwick murder that’s gone unsolved for more than five years.
Michael A. Soares, 33, was charged Tuesday with first-degree murder in the death of John “Jack” Fay.
Fay, 66, went for a run in Warwick City Park on May 16, 2013, and his body was found inside a barrel the following day.
“This arrest was the culmination of years of effort covering hundreds of leads by our Detective Division. Throughout the past five-plus years, the Warwick Police Department has remained committed to finding Jack’s killer,” Warwick Police Chief Rick Rathbun said in a statement.
Police couldn’t release any further details, as the investigation remains active.
An Eyewitness News crew saw detectives walking in and out of Soares’ Pawtucket home, removing several items in evidence bags.
Three years to the day after the murder, police released a composite image of the suspect based on DNA from an “unknown male” found at the scene.
Police also discovered a small sledgehammer in the area but it’s unclear if that was the murder weapon.
Soares is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday morning in district court. Police said they’ll hold a news conference afterwards to discuss the arrest.
