The true story behind  Will Hurley’s murder

On October 8, 2009, Boston was shaken by the disappearance of Will Hurley, a 24-year-old Navy veteran and Boston Bruins fan. He left a recreation early and was by no means seen alive once more. Six days later, his physique was pulled from the Charles River with blunt pressure accidents and traces of GHB in his system.

Whereas investigators dominated his dying as drowning, the case later drew the eye of retired NYPD detectives investigating attainable connections to the controversial Smiley Face Killers concept. Oxygen’s Smiley Face Killers: The Hunt for Justice revisits Hurley’s story. It’s re-airing his episode on Thursday, September 18, 2025.

What occurred to Will Hurley? True story explored

24-year-old Will Hurley was residing in Boston together with his fiancée, Claire Lebeau, after having served within the Navy. On the night of October 8, 2009, he joined buddies at TD Backyard to look at the Bruins play. Partway by means of the sport, he felt unwell and needed to go house. Will had known as Claire and requested her to select him up.

When Claire arrived on the stadium space, she couldn’t spot Will anyplace. Throughout their final cellphone name, she overheard him asking a passerby the place he was, to which the person replied, “99 Nashua Road.” Can even advised her that his cellphone battery was about to die. By the point Claire reached that location, Will was gone, and his cellphone couldn’t be reached once more.

After six days of looking, on October 14, 2009, Will Hurley’s physique was recovered from the Charles River, solely a brief distance from TD Backyard, as reported by Oxygen. Investigators initially leaned towards an unintended drowning, citing surveillance footage that confirmed Will stumbling outdoors the sector, apparently unsteady.

Nonetheless, an post-mortem report rapidly difficult that clarification. It revealed blunt pressure accidents, together with trauma to his head, harm round one eye socket, and bruising behind his leg, most of which supported the conclusion that Will was struck. Toxicology outcomes added one other disturbing layer. As per Oxygen, Will had comparatively low blood alcohol in his system, however there have been traces of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB).

Drowning or murder?

Specialists reviewing the case argued that the findings didn’t match neatly into an unintended drowning situation. Forensic toxicologist Sabra Botch-Jones highlighted that Will’s GHB degree was properly above what the physique can naturally produce, strongly indicating outdoors administration.

Forensic pathologist Dr. Elizabeth Laposata examined the accidents to Will’s face and rejected the concept that they got here from a easy fall, suggesting they got here from direct affect, resembling being struck. Based on Oxygen, suspicion deepened when Will’s cellphone was recovered close to 99 Nashua Road. The gadget appeared intentionally destroyed earlier than being run over.

One other main inconsistency lay within the location from which his physique was retrieved. Underwater forensic investigator Rhonda Moniz identified that Will’s physique was discovered upstream from the place he was final seen. Given the Charles River’s present, this could have been unimaginable, suggesting his physique was positioned within the water there reasonably than drifting naturally.

The Smiley Face Killers Concept and Will’s dying

These irregularities caught the eye of retired NYPD detectives Kevin Gannon, Michael Donovan, and Anthony Duarte, in addition to felony justice professor Dr. Lee Gilbertson. The crew had been investigating a controversial speculation referred to as the “Smiley Face Killers” concept.

Based on this concept, an organized community of killers targets younger males, medication them, and disposes of their our bodies in rivers or lakes, usually leaving smiley face graffiti close by. Will Hurley’s case contained components that matched this sample of killings. However formally, Will Hurley’s dying continues to be labeled as an undetermined drowning.

In 2019, Oxygen’s true-crime collection Smiley Face Killers: The Hunt for Justice devoted an episode to his case, bringing renewed consideration to it. That episode will re-air on Thursday, September 18, 2025, highlighting particulars of the case.

Concerning the creator

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Sneha is an leisure author at SK POP. Holding a Grasp’s diploma in Sociology, she skillfully analyzes the mix of tradition and leisure by means of a sociological lens, which, coupled together with her ardour for the world of standard tradition, permits her to supply readers partaking and insightful content material.

As a author with over 3 years of expertise, Sneha believes in not solely referencing standard sources but additionally conducting thorough analysis and glancing by means of credible content material to provide top-notch work. She has had the privilege of interviewing celebrities together with Melissa Peterman, Kosar Ali, and Moshe Zonder.

If she may return in time, she would like to dwell within the 50s and 60s when Audrey Hepburn was on the peak of her profession. She admires the actress’ work and would go to nice lengths to interview her. She additionally appears to be like as much as Tilda Swinton for a way she stays true to herself and aspires to inculcate this trait into her life.

A performative arts fanatic, she immerses herself in classical dance and in addition enjoys conducting analysis on folks artwork varieties practiced the world over when not writing.

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Edited by Sneha Haldar