Authorities have confirmed that human remains discovered last month along the shoreline near Taylor Swift’s Watch Hill estate in Westerly, Rhode Island, have been positively identified as a missing Massachusetts man.
The Rhode Island Office of the State Medical Examiners notified South Kingstown police on June 13 that the remains found on May 14, 2025, in Westerly belonged to Wein, who was last seen in mid-April.
Wein’s disappearance was first reported on April 18, after his vehicle was located on Ocean Avenue in South Kingstown eight days earlier.
After an extensive investigation conducted in coordination with the Mansfield Police Department and the Rhode Island Office of the State Medical Examiners, South Kingstown police have formally closed the case. “No foul play is suspected,” the department stated in its official communication. “We extend our deepest condolences to Mr. Wein’s family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
The discovery of the remains initially drew widespread public attention due to the proximity to Swift’s well-known beachfront mansion in Watch Hill, an affluent coastal enclave.
“Upon arrival, officers located what appeared to be a human leg bone,” Westerly Police Chief Paul Gingerella told NTD sister media The Epoch Times via email. The remains were subsequently transferred to the Rhode Island Medical Examiner’s Office for further analysis.
At the time of the discovery, Gingerella said the case remained under investigation and that “no foul play is suspected.” He added that investigators were awaiting official confirmation of the identity of the remains.
The incident fueled speculation about a possible serial killer in the New England region, with WJAR reporting at least a dozen bodies found in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut since March.
However, Gingerella emphasized that the remains found in Watch Hill are “not linked to any rumors.”
Taylor Swift’s Watch Hill mansion, known as “Holiday House,” has become a local landmark since the pop star purchased the historic Colonial-style property in 2013. The estate inspired Swift’s hit song “The Last Great American Dynasty” from her 2020 album “Folklore,” and recently served as inspiration for bestselling author Emily Henry’s novel “Great Big Beautiful Life,” which follows two journalists vying to write a celebrity memoir.