It was a peaceful day on Shaeffer Street, where the quiet hum of daily life filled the air in this close-knit, working-class neighborhood of Peace Dale, Rhode Island. Families chatted on porches, children played outside, and everyone went about their routines—until the unsettling news broke. Young Jason Foreman was missing. Neighbors quickly set aside their tasks, joining together to search the streets, comb nearby parks, and hold onto hope. Little did they know, the answers lay closer than they could imagine.
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Audio Sources:
“Woodmansee Transferred To Hospital”
“Woodmansee victim’s family reacts to voluntary committment”
Sources:
Hartford Courant, 21 May, 1975 – “Many Volunteer in Search”
North Adams Transcript, 23 May, 1975 – “Huge Hunt Planned for Missing Boy”
Naugatuck Daily News, 23 May, 1975 – “Police Plan Massive Hunt for Missing Boy”
The Boston Globe, 25 May, 1975 – “Hundreds Search for R.I. Boy”
The Boston Globe, 27 May, 1975 – “Search for Boy in R.I. Ended”
The Bridgeport Pot, 28 May, 1975 – “Mother Still Hopes Son, 5, is Alive”
Daily Hampshire Gazette, 5 June, 1975 – “Foul Play Suspected”
Express-News, 28 December, 1975 – “Give me Back my Boy”
The Boston Globe, 15 September, 1976 – “Suspect Quizzed on Missing Boys”
The Boston Globe, 24 September, 1976 – “District Attorney Weighs Louison Case”
Daily Hampshire Gazette, 21 September, 1977 – “Man Convicted”
The Burlington Free Press, 26 April, 1981 – “Victims Society Devoted to Finding Missing Children”
The Daily Advertiser, 13 October, 1981 – “Missing Children Act Set”
Providence Journal, 17 April, 1982 – “The Kids All Stopped”
The Morning Union, 17 April, 1982 – “Neighbor Charged in Death”
Providence Journal, 17 April, 1982 – “Detective Sadly Ends All Consuming Case”
UPI, 17 April, 1982 – “Seven-Year Search”
Providence Journal, 18 April, 1982 – “Suspect in Jason Foreman Death a Taunted Man”
Providence Journal, 20 April, 1982 – “The Jason Foreman Mystery”
Providence Journal, 21 April, 1982 – “Woodmansee Arraigned”
Providence Journal, 22 April, 1982 – “Two Fathers Grieve”
Providence Journal, 22 April, 1982 – “Man Accused”
Providence Journal, 23 April, 1982 – “Woodmansee Seeks Trial”
Providence Journal, 12 May, 1982 – “Woodmansee is Declared Competent”
Providence Journal, 19 May, 1982 – “Woodmansee Pleads Not Guilty”
Providence Journal, 8 June, 1982 – “Woodmansee Lawyer Plans Insanity Defence”
Providence Journal, 1 July, 1982 – “Bones Found in Home”
Providence Journal, 24 July, 1982 – “State Psychiatrist”
Providence Journal, 31 July, 1982 – “Bones Found in Home”
Providence Journal, 9 October, 1982 – “Judge Rules Woodmansee Competent”
Providence Journal, 9 November, 1982 – “Woodmansee Bid for Juvenile Status Rejected”
Providence Journal, 24 February, 1983 – “A Search Ends”
Providence Journal, 24 February, 1983 – “Woodmansee is Guilty”
Providence Journal, 25 February, 1983 – “Trembling Killer”
Providence Journal, 3 March, 1983 – “in Gentle Rites”
Providence Journal, 1 April, 1983 – “Woodmansee Moved Out of State”
Providence Journal, 7 October, 1992 – “Child Killer Woodmansee is Up for Parole”
Providence Journal, 16 October, 1992 – “Murderers”
Providence Journal, 18 September, 1997 – “Town Rallies”
Providence Journal, 7 October, 1997 – “Killer Drops Bid for Parole”
Providence Journal, 6 March, 2011 – “Jason Foreman’s Killer”
Associated Press, 7 March, 2011 – “Dad of Slain Boy”
The Independent, 7 March, 2011 – “Police Chief Says Killer not Welcome”
The Independent, 10 March, 2011 – “Woodmansee’s Release Stirs Anger”
Providence Journal, 10 March, 2011 – “The Woodmansee Case”
The Republican, 11 March, 2011 – “Family Fights Killer’s Release”
The Independent, 14 April, 2011 – “Involuntary Commitment Inquiry”
Providence Journal, 5 May, 2011 – “R.I. Senate Passes bill”
The Independent, 27 May, 2011 – “Woodmansee Agrees”
The Narragansett Times, 1 June, 2011 – “Foreman Family Relieved”