A group of teenagers discovered human remains in a pond in Shirley, Massachusetts, on March 4 while playing in the snow. Authorities identified the parts as belonging to 69-year-old Peter Degan, a recently released convict. The investigation into his apparent homicide continues.
On March 4, teenagers playing near a bridge over Phoenix Pond in Shirley, Massachusetts, spotted what turned out to be a human limb in the water. The Shirley Police Department confirmed the find in a Facebook post that day, prompting a police diving team to search the area.
Local resident Katy Marsh, who was walking her dog nearby, described the scene to WFXT. She saw the teens reacting with distress, dry heaving into a snow bank and repeating, "That's so messed up." Marsh later overheard someone identify the discovery, saying, "Yep, that's a leg. That's a right foot, right leg."
One of the teens, 15-year-old Dominic Dunn, told WBZ about the shocking moment. "I definitely didn't like that," he said. "I didn't like finding a leg with younger siblings here. Especially from having a snowball fight with my little sister, that was messed up."
The following day, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan held a press conference to provide updates. She identified the remains as those of Peter Degan, 69, based on fingerprints. Divers had recovered additional body parts from the pond, all belonging to Degan, though a full body was not found. Ryan noted that the limbs showed "clean cut" marks from a "sharp force instrument."
Degan had been released from MCI-Shirley medium-security prison on February 6 after serving a sentence for money laundering and cocaine trafficking, to which he pleaded guilty in 2019. He was living in a pre-release house and was last seen alive on February 27. Authorities stated that the death does not appear to be random.
The investigation remains active. Shirley Police Chief Samuel Santiago urged anyone with information to call 978-425-2642.
