Chasing Leads: My Search for Clues in a Cold Case Murder

From Classroom to Crime Scene: A College Senior's Unexpected Journey into the Heart of Rhode Island's Unsolved Mystery

It was May 3rd, 2023. The sun was high in the sky, casting a warm glow on the bustling corner of Euclid and Prospect Street in Providence, Rhode Island. The air was filled with the scent of blooming trees and freshly brewed coffee from Ceremony, a popular student café. Laughter echoed from a nearby field where children played, their joy contrasting sharply with the serious conversation unfolding just a few meters away.

Under the shade of a nearby tree, a man stood next to his Jeep, his silhouette outlined by the midday sun. Sporting a weathered cowboy hat that casted a shadow over his eyes and an assortment of badge-like necklaces, he exuded an air of seasoned experience. This was Joseph Richardson, a two-decade licensed private investigator. His presence was a beacon of intrigue in the otherwise ordinary college town.

“I need to establish a few things before we start. First of all, you’re not recording me, right?” His voice was deep, interrogative, and his gaze was as sharp as a hawk's, scrutinizing me with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. 

I assured him I wasn’t, and our conversation resumed. As a novice student journalist, I had taken on the daunting task of investigating a 39-year-old cold case (link). Richardson was my interviewee for the day, a meeting that had been originally planned for the café but had been relocated to the sidewalk due to a parking payment malfunction. Every now and then, students hurrying by would glance our way. One girl even stopped, her eyes wide with concern, to ask if I needed help. I smiled reassuringly, though my heart pounded in my chest.

Just a few months ago, I was a typical senior at Brown University, counting down the days to graduation and my impending move to New York. Journalism was a new venture, a path I had stumbled upon in the final stretch of my college journey.

Yet, here I was, delving into the murky waters of a decades-old murder case while my peers basked in the spring sunshine. 

In an elective journalism class in Brown's English department, we had been given the freedom to explore any topic. I found myself drawn to the cold cases of Rhode Island, the state I had called home for the past four years. I was intrigued by the stories that had been forgotten, the mysteries that remained unsolved.

I began scouring through dusty digital archives and databases, navigated through the tangled webs of online forums, and found myself drawn to a Facebook page dedicated to Kathleen Luongo, a young woman brutally murdered 39 years ago in Warwick, Rhode Island. Her case had long since gone cold, yet her memory lived on in a public Facebook page, a digital monument to her quest for justice.

The page was a stark black-and-white tribute to Kathleen, her youthful image frozen in time. The creator of the page, Nelson Taylor, a journalist-turned-amateur investigator, had been doggedly pursuing her case since 2020. His posts reached out to potential eyewitnesses and those who might help solve the mystery of her death. One post stood out: “Did you or your family members attend any of the softball games that were played on May 20th 1984 at the Apponaug field next to Warwick City Hall?”

I had grown accustomed to the silence, the dead ends that often met my inquiries. I reached out to Taylor on Facebook—and this time, the silence was broken. Within days, I received a response from Taylor, a simple message: “I’d be happy to speak with you. Let me know what works best.”

I was thrilled and our conversation turned out to be revelatory.  Taylor told me David Luongo, Kathleen's husband, the primary suspect, had called in a carpet cleaner to clean his basement rug just weeks after her death. He hinted at a potential botched crime scene, a failure on the part of the police to secure and investigate properly. Taylor was a wellspring of anecdotal stories, each a piece of a puzzle. 

At this point, my professor, a seasoned journalist, voiced concerns about the lack of hard evidence and primary sources. She cautioned me against relying too heavily on anecdotal evidence and reminded me of the importance of hard facts in journalism. I realized that I needed to dig deeper, to unearth more concrete evidence to substantiate the stories I was hearing. 

In the midst of my pursuit of Taylor's accounts, another avenue of investigation opened—detective Sergeant Gregory Johnson of the Warwick Police Department, who was overseeing this case.

I dialed the Warwick Police Department repeatedly that week, at different times, hoping to reach Johnson. My calls went unanswered. My attempts seemed futile.

Meanwhile I decided to press Taylor for concrete evidence. He introduced Ben Kean, also an amateur, a real-estate agent turned investigator. I arranged to meet Kean in person at Plant City, a popular coffee shop in Providence.

 At the cafe one morning in March, the air was filled with the rich aroma of coffee and the lively hum of conversation. Yet, as I sat down at a corner table with Ben Kean, the world outside faded away. Kean, Taylor's partner in investigation, exuded determination and passion. With each sip of coffee, he revealed more insights into Kathleen's murder. "I've been captivated by Kathy's story since I was a child," he said. "I will uncover the truth, no matter the obstacles we face." He said he would provide me with a comprehensive list of the evidence we had discussed. 

However, days passed and then weeks, and the silence from Kean became disheartening. Despite my repeated attempts to reestablish communication, I realized he might never reply.

Then, on March 27th, a quiet Monday morning, my desk a battlefield—strewn with notes, transcripts, and half-empty coffee cups—I noticed a notification illuminating my phone screen: a new voicemail. I held my breath as I hit play. A voice filled the room: “I’m Detective Sergeant Johnson from Warwick Department calling for uh… Sunny Li. Just returning your call. ”

In the ensuing two-hour conversation, Kean finally shared some of the evidence I had been awaiting. One opportunity stood out among the rest—an introduction to Joseph Richardson, a licensed private investigator with 20 years of experience.  His insights could potentially illuminate new angles in the case.

Fast forward to May 3rd, 2023. Wrapping up my conversation with Richardson, I couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation. Richardson drove away, and the setting sun cast shadows on the streets of Providence. My investigation, tackling the case’s complexities, seemed to be a spotlight growing brighter, casting more light on the intricacies. 

Walking back to my apartment, I hear the laughter and chatter of other graduating students echoing through the streets. I was about to leave Rhode Island, about to step into a new chapter of my life. Kathleen's story would remain with me, unresolved.

Information about this piece

Bio:

Sunny Li, a Computer Science and Behavioral Decision Sciences student at Brown University with a passion for unraveling true crime mysteries.

Reflection: My Foray into Cold Case Journalism

Starting this journey, my primary objective was to bring light to a cold case while honing my investigative skills. The process was challenging yet rewarding, involving countless hours spent scouring digital archives and reaching out to various possible sources. A big challenge was the silence that often met my inquiries. Cold cases are cold for a reason — they are fraught with unresponsive leads and elusive concrete evidence. There was a constant struggle to balance my reliance on anecdotal evidence with the need for concrete facts.

However, some moments, like hearing back from Nelson Taylor or receiving that voicemail from Detective Sergeant Johnson, were exhilarating. The support and cautionary advice from my professor and journalism mentor also played a crucial role in shaping my approach to journalism, reminding me of the essence of journalism. 

Sources:

• Interview with Nelson Taylor, March 6th, 

• Interview with Ben Kean, March 19th, 2023

• Interview with Detective Sergeant Gregory Johnson, April 5th, 2023

• Interview with Ben Kean, April 26th, 2023

• Interview with Joseph Richardson, May 4, 2023

• Interview recordings with William Forsstrom, January 17, 2021

• Digital archives, various databases, and online forums: (Ongoing research, January to May 2023)

• Luongo Homicide Timeline, obtained from Taylor Nelson

• "Pandemic ignites new interest in 1984 cold case murder," NBC 10 News, March 1, 2020

• "1984 Warwick cold-case murder attracts nonprofessional sleuths trying to ‘widen the net’" Providence Journal, May 20, 2022

• "What Happened to Kathleen Luongo?" Facebook Page dedicated to Kathy Luongo's case, created by Ben Kean and Nelson Taylor.