The Essex County District Attorney's Office announced Saturday that two men who were murdered and died in a wooded area next to Salem Walmart on Wednesday afternoon and were identified as 41-year-old Andrew Ross Guempel, whose last known address was in Arizona.
The District Attorney's Office said authorities are still waiting to release the name of another killed person because his next relative has not been notified of his death.
Salem police shortly after 2:20 pm on April 23, two men were called to 450 Highland Ave. A man walking the dog found one of the bodies and informed the authorities.
Police arrested Jay Blodget, 30, for a day involved in the killing of the body, the District Attorney's Office said. He was charged with two counts of murder and pleaded not guilty to the charges when filing a lawsuit in Salem District Court on Thursday.
Jay Blodget, 30, tried two counts of murder at Salem Priond Court on April 24.(Pool Cam/Boston 25)
The judge was not released on bail during the arraignment. A court application shows that he is homeless and lives in the woods behind Walmart near the body found.
Prosecutors said in court Thursday that Jim Pell and another man died of “blunt force trauma” and were stabbed. Their bodies were hidden under dirt and other “materials,” prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said Blodge also “produced two murder statements” after being detained by police. He is believed to be the only one involved in the killing.
On Thursday, Blodget's attorney Michael Phelan said it was “too early” to discuss the motive or other parts of the case. He said the lawyers program “absolutely explores whether there are mental health issues”, although there is no definite answer so far.
According to court documents, Blodget was arrested about a week before the bodies of two men were found and charged with breaking into a storage container near Walmart.
Blodget's next court date is scheduled for May 28.
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