A man’s body was pulled from the Mill River near Red Gate Road in Rowley just after noon on Sunday, setting off an investigation that was still active as of Sunday night. Hours later, a second man’s body turned up roughly 2 p.m. in neighboring Newbury, near the Tendercrop Farm cow pasture, though investigators say the two deaths appear to be unrelated.
Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker and Rowley Police Chief Michael Balsley confirmed the discovery of the Rowley body, according to Boston 25 News. The outlet reported that no further details have been released regarding the victim or the circumstances of his death, and that the investigation remains ongoing. WCVB similarly reported that the Essex County District Attorney’s Office had not revealed the circumstances of the man’s death or whether foul play is suspected.
The discovery in Newbury complicates an already murky picture. Per MassLive, the district attorney’s office had not identified either man as of Sunday, and it remains unclear whether either death is suspicious.
Two Towns, Two Scenes, One Afternoon
The timing of the two discoveries — just a couple of hours apart — understandably raised questions among North Shore residents. But according to MassLive, investigators believe the deaths in Rowley and Newbury are unrelated. The second body was found around 2 p.m. in the area of the Tendercrop Farm cow pasture in Newbury, the report states.
Beyond that, the public record is thin. Neither man has been identified, and officials have not said whether the deaths are being treated as homicides, accidents, or something else entirely. The report notes only that it is unclear whether either death is suspicious, language that leaves open multiple possibilities while ruling nothing in or out.
What Comes Next
With the investigation still unfolding, both the Rowley and Newbury scenes remain under scrutiny by Essex County authorities. WCVB’s digital content editor Imani Clement reported that the station’s newsroom would continue providing updates as more information becomes available, a sign that identification of the victims and any determination of cause of death could still be days away.
For now, residents in the small river towns of Rowley and Newbury are left waiting, along with investigators, for answers about who the two men were and what led to their deaths on the same Sunday afternoon.
