Ashby Police Department

Ashby Police Charge Man with Breaking Into Two Homes

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Ashby Police Department
Fred Alden, Chief of Police
893 Main Street
Ashby, MA 01431

For Immediate Release

Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017

Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: ben@jgpr.net

Ashby Police Charge Man with Breaking Into Two Homes

ASHBY — Chief Fred Alden reports that the Ashby Police Department arrested a man Friday night who allegedly entered the home of an elderly woman while she was inside.

ANDREW D. GRACE, AGE 30, OF SHIRLEY was charged with two counts of Breaking and Entering.

At 7:55 p.m., Ashby Police responded to a report of a break-in at a home on Kendall Hill Road.

Officers arrived and spoke with an 87-year-old woman who reported that she was in her bedroom when she heard someone enter her home.

The woman went into her living room and saw a man, later identified as GRACE, inside the home. GRACE then left the house and walked down the street. The woman was unharmed.

Through the subsequent investigation, officers searched the area and eventually found footprints in the snow at the house next door to the woman’s house. The footprints led to an open window. The home was supposed to be vacant with no one living inside.

Officers looked through the windows and saw GRACE standing in the basement. He fit the description that the woman had given. After being ordered to come out of the house several times, he eventually walked out of the back door and was placed under arrest without incident.

Upon searching the vacant house, officers found a door that had been forced open.

GRACE was booked at the Ashby Police Department and was then taken to the State Police barracks in Leominster to be held on $140 bail.

He is expected to be arraigned on Monday in Ayer District Court.

These are allegations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty. 

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Ashby Police Department Promotes Reserve Officer

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Ashby Police Department
Fred Alden, Chief of Police
893 Main Street
Ashby, MA 01431

For Immediate Release

Monday, Jan. 23, 2017

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 978-841-9948
Email: john@jgpr.net

Ashby Police Department Promotes Reserve Officer

ASHBY- Chief Fred Alden is pleased to announce that Erik Salo has been promoted to a full-time police officer at the Ashby Police Department.

Police Officer Erik Salo became a full-time police officer with the Ashby Police Department this month. (Courtesy Photo)

Officer Salo, who previously served as a part-time Reserve Officer since 2006, moved up to full-time following a Board of Selectmen’s meeting on January 11. His appointment went into effect on Jan. 22, and he is is set to attend the full-time academy in the spring.

During his tenure with the Ashby Police Department, Officer Salo completed courses at the Municipal Police Training Committee, and most recently received certification as a “train the trainer” for active shooter events. Officer Salo is also certified in latent evidence recovery.

Additionally, Officer Salo served six years in the United States Army Reserves as an administrative specialist and then a military police officer. He has over 16 years of police experience, including his most recent role as a reserve police officer in Shirley. Officer Salo also previously worked as a part-time police officer in Westminster and at Fitchburg State University.

An Ashby native, Officer Salo graduated from North Middlesex Regional High School and has taken courses in criminal justice at Northeastern University.

“We are incredibly excited to have Officer Salo serve this department and community on a full-time basis,” Chief Alden said. “His years of expertise and dedication to the field will certainly be a benefit to our residents.”

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*Joint Press Release* Victims Identified in Ashby Murder-Suicide

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Ashby Police Department
Fred Alden, Chief of Police
893 Main Street
Ashby, MA 01431

For Immediate Release

Sunday, Aug. 28, 2016

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 978-841-9948
Email: john@jgpr.net

Victims Identified in Ashby Murder-Suicide

ASHBY – Police Chief Fred Alden and Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan have confirmed that at approximately 1:37 p.m. Friday, August 26, Ashby Police officers responded to a report of a death on Watatic Mountain Road in Ashby. Upon arrival they observed an adult male and female to be deceased.

The individuals have been identified as Rebecca Griffin, 51, of Fitchburg, and John Griffin, 55, the resident of the home on Watatic Mountain Road. The two deceased were previously married but divorced in approximately 1990. Rebecca Griffin would come by her ex husband’s home to help him with errands.

On Friday, the two deceased were discovered on the front lawn of John Griffin’s home. According to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner both individuals died from multiple sharp-force wounds indicative of the use of a knife.  The investigation revealed that John Griffin inflicted sharp-force injuries to Rebecca Griffin outside of the home. Afterwards John Griffin then died from self-inflicted sharp-force wounds.

“This is a senseless and tragic crime,” stated District Attorney Ryan. “Rebecca Griffin would come to her ex husband’s home to assist him with day-to-day errands such as grocery shopping and bringing him to doctor’s appointments and sadly, she lost her life in the interest of helping him.”

“Ashby is a small, quiet town where incidents like these are not common,” Chief Alden said. “This was an isolated situation and at no time was the public ever in danger. Thank you to our residents for their patience and understanding during our investigation.”

Next of kin have been notified and this is an open and active investigation being conducted by Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office and the Ashby Police Department

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*Joint Press Release* Statement from Ashby Police Chief Fred Alden and Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan

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Ashby Police Department
Fred Alden, Chief of Police
893 Main Street
Ashby, MA 01431

For Immediate Release

Friday, Aug. 26, 2016

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 978-841-9948
Email: john@jgpr.net

*Joint Press Release* Statement from Ashby Police Chief Fred Alden and Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan

ASHBY — Police Chief Fred Alden and Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan have confirmed that at approximately 1:37 p.m. today Ashby Police officers responded to a report of a death on Watatic Mountain Road.

Upon arrival, they observed an adult male resident of that address, and adult female who was known to him, to be deceased. While this is an ongoing investigation, at this time the incident is believed to be an apparent murder-suicide.

This is an open and active investigation being conducted by Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and the Ashby Police Department, and no additional information will be released at this time pending notification of next of kin. This is an isolated incident and there is no threat to public safety.

“There is no danger to the public and no suspect is being sought,” Chief Alden said. “This is a tragic situation and we thank the community for their patience during this investigation.”

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