Raymond J. Lassor, an American serial killer, carried out a series of violent killings in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1984. Lori Carlucci, 22, was the first victim, discovered dead in a vacant parking lot. The second victim, Wanda Sue Adams, went missing and was discovered floating in the Woonasquatucket River. Delores Neuser, 58, a vagrant, was the third victim discovered in a parking garage. All three bodies were discovered within a five-block radius and showed identical symptoms of strangulation and being partially clothed. Lassor attempted to kill Carrie-Ann Talbot, a 14-year-old girl who survived the incident. The murders sparked widespread concern about urban safety at the time. Lassor's trial lasted two years, and he was convicted on three counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, and one count of first-degree sexual assault. He got numerous life sentences without parole under Rhode Island's recently passed "Life Without Parole Statute," being the first person successfully convicted under this provision in the state.
I killed all of them.
Ray Lassor. Autographed Letter, Signed. Handwritten, Commercial #10 (4.125 × 9.5 envelope). Boston, MA. January 25, 2025. Content unknown. SEALED.
Raymond J. Lassor
Background Information
Raymond J. Lassor, born in 1963, is an American serial killer known for committing a series of brutal murders in Providence, Rhode Island, during the summer of 1984. Raymond Lassor, described as a 'self-programmed serial killer,' was convicted Thursday of strangling three women and trying to murder a fourth during a two-month crime spree in 1984.
Murders Committed
The first murder occurred on June 26, 1984, when 22-year-old Lori Carlucci was found dead in a vacant parking lot. This was followed by the murder of 18-year-old Wanda Sue Adams on August 17, whose body was discovered floating in the Woonasquatucket River. The final victim was Delores Neuser, a 58-year-old transient, whose battered body was found on August 30 in a parking garage. All three victims were found within a five-block radius and exhibited similar signs of having been strangled and left partially clothed.
Detailed Accounts of Each Murder Committed by Raymond J. Lassor
Murder of Lori Carlucci
Lori Carlucci, a 22-year-old woman, was the first known victim of Raymond J. Lassor. On June 26, 1984, her body was discovered in a vacant parking lot in Providence, Rhode Island. The investigation revealed that she had been strangled and left partially clothed. Evidence suggested that she had been assaulted prior to her death. The circumstances surrounding her murder were particularly alarming as it marked the beginning of a series of violent crimes committed by Lassor.
Murder of Wanda Sue Adams
The second victim, Wanda Sue Adams, was an 18-year-old girl who went missing on August 17, 1984. Her body was later found floating in the Woonasquatucket River on August 20, just days after her disappearance. Like Carlucci, Adams had also been strangled and exhibited signs of sexual assault. The proximity of her murder to Carlucci’s raised concerns among law enforcement about a potential serial killer operating in the area.
Murder of Delores Neuser
Delores Neuser was a 58-year-old transient woman whose body was discovered on August 30, 1984, in a parking garage in Providence. She had also been strangled and showed signs of having been beaten prior to her death. Neuser’s murder further intensified fears within the community as it highlighted the vulnerability of women living on the streets and underscored the brutal nature of Lassor’s crimes.
Attempted Murder of Carrie-Ann Talbot
In addition to these murders, Raymond J. Lassor attempted to murder Carrie-Ann Talbot, a 14-year-old girl who survived his attack on September 18, 1984. Talbot provided critical testimony against him after identifying him as her assailant at a bus station shortly after the attack.
Arrest and Investigation
Lassor’s arrest came after he attacked Carrie-Ann Talbot, a 14-year-old girl who survived the assault and provided crucial testimony against him. She identified him as her attacker after being introduced to him at a bus station. Following his arrest on September 18, Lassor confessed to all three murders and the assault on Talbot during police interviews. His confessions contained specific details about the crime scenes that only the perpetrator would know.
Trial and Conviction
Lassor’s trial lasted two years, during which his defense attorney attempted to discredit Talbot’s testimony by suggesting she had blacked out during her attack and claimed that Lassor’s confessions were coerced. However, the evidence presented at trial – including witness testimonies and physical evidence – was compelling enough for the jury to find him guilty on multiple counts: three counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, and one count of first-degree sexual assault.
Sentencing
In light of his convictions, Raymond Lassor received multiple life sentences without parole under Rhode Island’s newly enacted “Life Without Parole Statute.” He became notable as the first individual to be prosecuted successfully under this statute in Rhode Island.
The case highlighted significant issues regarding violence against women and raised public awareness about serial killings in urban areas.
PODCAST: True Crime New England | Episode 52: Raymond Lassor | https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/truecrimene/episodes/Episode-52-Raymond-Lassor-e1kc1d8/a-a85ikdg
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