Last Tuesday, the fourth threatening note was found in the girls’ locker room shortly after the end of school and was classified by police as being very similar to a previous one found in March that promised death to a specific list of freshman students and referenced a gun.

Police Chief Mark DeLuca said that this latest note gave initials rather than the names of the students, but that it did not mark a date or time of a specific event.  Police responded as they have in the past with an increased presence at the school, a sweep of the building with a weapons-detecting dog and the use of metal detectors for incoming students.

On Thursday, DHS Principal John McCarthy said that like the other three threatening notes found at the school, this one “related to a situation” at the middle school last year and the events following that incident.

Last June, a 14-year-old DMS student was charged by police after she allegedly left a note in the radiator of a girls’ bathroom promising harm to a group of eighth grade students using a gun.  That student was charged by Duxbury police for the threat, but was never found guilty in court.  The case was continued without finding and the student has since moved out of the state, but remains on probation in Massachusetts according to police.

McCarthy said that the latest notes reference that incident and are most likely being written by “someone with knowledge of that situation.”

“The issue this person has is with the schools, not the people listed in the notes,” said McCarthy.  “The names are there because they are being used as a vehicle for the threat.  This is an issue with the schools and the disciplinary action taken [last year].”

During a meeting with freshman parents in March, DeLuca said he has tried to contact the former student and her family regarding the threats, but did not classify her as a suspect in this latest round of threatening notes.  In fact, he noted that the author of the notes may be using this person’s name as a diversion because they no longer live in town.{sidebar id=4}

Lt. Chip Chubb said on Friday he would not comment on whether that student or anyone else can currently be considered a suspect in the investigation into this year’s notes.

In a telephone interview with the Clipper on Monday, the mother of the student said that she talked with police twice in January, but they have never called their new home for any information.

“Whoever is writing these notes is obviously not our daughter’s friend,” she said.  “Our daughter has nothing to do with this and after all she has been through would not want to return to Duxbury.”

The mother added that her child was never expelled from DMS, but instead withdrew so the family could move for a job her husband accepted last March, months before the incident, and handwriting analysis on the note was never linked to her daughter.

DeLuca said last week that despite several leads, the investigation into the identity of the author of the four threatening notes has produced nothing yet.

“Every lead we getÖhas been dead-ended,” said DeLuca.  “We do have two hopeful leads now, but those are still open-ended.”

He added that analysis is still being conducted by local law enforcement agencies such as the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office as well as the FBI and Secret Service, who the town sought for help last month.

At the schools, the investigation is progressing with freshmen being shown the notes for the first time, said McCarthy.

“We’re in the process of sharing a large portion of the note with our ninth graders with the hopes that someone recognizes something,” he said.  “Guidance counselors are going into classes and sharing part of the notes for a dual purpose: one, to let the students know what is going on and that this is not a joke, and two, with the hopes that someone sees something and that triggers their memory or they recognize a style of writing.”

McCarthy said that he hopes students can offer insight into what school and police officials believe is the signature “TWC” on the notes as well as terms in the note such as “trust buddies.”

As to why after four months students are finally being shown the notes, McCarthy said that administrators are at the point where nothing has worked to date in finding the author and they are trying new avenues.

“One reason we did not share the notes earlier is that we didn’t want to heighten the anxiety,” said McCarthy.  “It has gotten to the point where students need to understand the seriousness and perhaps they can recognize something.” 

Students who spoke to the Clipper last week varied in their level of concern.

“I’m not worried about my safety because I don’t think anything will happen,” said freshman Clio Arana.  “It’s kind of stupid.”

Arana said that she knew some of the students whose names were listed in the notes and was sure that they were more worried than their classmates.

Junior Matt Johnston said that his level of concern is increasing with the discovery of each note.

“I’m getting worried now,” he said.  “They haven’t been able to find this person and I’m starting to think this is serious.  At the same time, I’m frustrated because this has messed up the way our school is run.”

A majority of students agreed with Johnston that more than concern about their safety was a feeling of being inconvenienced by security protocols including a ban on backpacks.

“I’m getting a little tired of this,” said junior Eric Sheridan.  “I want my backpack back.  Everyone is dealing with this alright; it’s more of a pain in the neck now.”

McCarthy said that he understands the frustration of students and empathizes with them, but said that school and police officials must maintain a balance of having a strong enough response to the threats to make those targeted feel safe and outright ignoring the notes’ details.

McCarthy said that he remains optimistic that the notes’ author will be found, but until that time the school, police and the town will likely have to deal with this again in the future.

“I believe other students know who is doing this,” said McCarthy.  “There is someone in the ninth grade who knows.  With the older students, if they knew something, they’d tell us.”

He added that peer pressure, especially telling on a friend, is most likely the cause for reluctance on the part of freshmen students, but that needs to be overcome.

“Guidance counselors are approaching the situation by saying instead of not taking this seriously, let’s say it is serious and if something were to happen to a fellow student and they knew, how would they feel then,” said McCarthy.  “They could’ve stopped this, but they didn’t.  We are trying to break the veil of secrecy among students.”

Anyone with information is asked to e-mail School Resource Officer Friend Weiler at f_weiler@duxbury.k12.ma.us, call the Duxbury Police Department at 781-934-5656 or Duxbury High School at 781-934-7650.