On Memorial Day, May 25, 1992, a grim discovery was made in the South End neighborhood of Springfield, Massachusetts. The body of 32-year-old Corrine Lee, a local woman, was found inside a dumpster behind a building at 63 Central Street. An autopsy later determined that she had been killed by asphyxiation due to strangulation. Her death was immediately ruled a homicide, launching an investigation that has now spanned more than three decades.
Corrine’s murder was not an isolated event in a city grappling with a wave of violence. Her death was chillingly similar to several other cases involving women who were killed in Springfield between 1990 and 1996. Investigators noted the similarities between Corrine's case and the unsolved strangulations of 17-year-old Shana Renee Price in December 1990, 21-year-old Lisa DaSilva in April 1991, and 24-year-old Celestina Perez in June 1995.
The frequency of these brutal killings led to fears that a serial killer was preying on women in the area.
During this period, FBI profilers were consulted and speculated that a single perpetrator could be responsible for some of the slayings. This era of fear in Springfield was later partially explained by the arrest of Alfred Gaynor, who was convicted of murdering four women and eventually confessed to a total of nine killings in the region. However, DNA evidence did not link Gaynor to the murders of Corrine, Shana, Lisa, or Celestina. Their cases, though similar in nature, remained officially unsolved, leaving open the terrifying possibility that another predator had been operating in the city.
The investigation into Corrine Lee’s homicide is jointly handled by the Springfield Police Department's Detective Bureau and the Hampden District Attorney's Office. Over the years, detectives have revisited the case, seeking new leads and opportunities to apply modern forensic technology to any evidence that was collected. Despite these efforts, no suspects have been publicly named, and no arrests have been made. The specific details of the investigation, including what evidence was recovered from the scene, have been kept confidential by law enforcement.
Decades have passed, but authorities have not given up hope for a resolution. Corrine Lee's case is featured on the Hampden District Attorney’s list of unsolved homicides, a public reminder that justice has not yet been served. The office maintains that it is committed to resolving these cold cases and bringing a measure of closure to the victims' families.
As of May 2026, Corrine Lee's murder remains an open and active investigation. There is no information available to the public regarding a reward for information leading to an arrest. Police and prosecutors continue to urge anyone who may have seen something suspicious on or around Central Street on Memorial Day weekend in 1992, or who may have any information at all, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward. Individuals with information are asked to contact the Springfield Police Detective Bureau at 413-787-6355.
