Donna Tattersall, a 24 year old, went out to have a fun night in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Hours later, her partially nude body would be found laying in a grassy area just feet from where she was last seen.
On the morning of April 22, 1979, a reverend was taking a walk through the alley next to his church. When he approached the back side of his church, something caught his eye. In a grassy area behind the Firehouse Lounge, a woman was laying there. At first he thought she had just passed out from a long night of drinking. However, the arriving officer soon realized that wasn’t the case. The woman was partially nude and dead. The scene was taped off and the investigation began.
As the scene was being investigated, a patrol officer told investigators he knew who she was and saw her at the Firehouse Lounge the night before while on patrol. He told the investigators that he knew her name was Donna, but didn’t know what her last name was. He remembered seeing her sitting at the bar alone most of the night. The last time he had seen her was around 12:45 am near the cigarette machine. Two other officers admitted to seeing her that night as well. With little to go off, investigators took to the public for witness accounts from earlier that morning.
Frank Howarth heard the news on the radio that morning and knew he needed to tell police what he saw that night. Frank told police that he was at the Firehouse Lounge the night before, when a tall man bumped into and spilled his drink. He recognized the man, he wasn’t sure what his real name was but he went by Buzz or Buzzy. When he was leaving the bar around 1:15 am, he saw Buzz outside in the alley. He noticed that he was carrying something. He yelled at Buzz, but Buzz started walking faster. That is when he noticed that it wasn't something, it was someone. He testified in court that he saw Buzz carrying the limp body of “a midget woman” in a bear hug. Frank told investigators he didn’t think anything of it. Just thought they knew each other and he was helping her get home because she wasn’t screaming. Donna was only 3 feet, 10 inches tall. Frank was able to identify the man he knew as Buzz through a photo lineup. The man was 21 year old David Beland.
As officials were trying to locate David, the medical eximiner concluded that Donna was strangled by hand and was sexually assualted within minutes of leaving the lounge. A toxicology test showed that she had a lot of alcohol in her system. Which wasn’t surprising.
When they located David, he told police that he wasn’t even in Pawtucket that night. He had been at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel in Providence. It was observed that David had visible marks on him that would be consistent with a fight of some kind. He told them that he had gotten in a fight with someone at the hotel bar.
Investigators went to talk to people at Lupo’s to verify his alibi. However, a door man that was working that night said he had never seen David before. He said that it was a light night with only about 100 customers.
Investigators found a friend of David’s that said he was with him that night. He told investigators that he was on his way from Providence to Pawtucket when he noticed David’s car on the side of the road and had the taxi cab stop to pick him up. The two of them went for fries and shakes at a local restaurant in Pawtucket. They decided to go to the Firehouse Lounge “to pick up a couple of broads..” However, the friend decided to go to another pub close by and asked David if he wanted to go with. David declined the offer and stayed at the lounge.
David was arrested for the murder of Donna. During the trial, Frank and the friend were called to testify. Also, Denise Chapdelaine testified that she had see David at Lupo’s the night of the murder. She even talked to him for 5 to 10 minutes.
David even testified during his trial. He admitted that car broke down on his way to Pawtucket from Providence. He said his friend picked him up and went for fries and shakes. However, he said he didn’t stay at Firehouse when they got there. He continued to walk. He also told the jury that he had a sexual transmitted disease that would prevent him from having sex.
During the closing argument, the defense told the jury that David was only truthful about the night in question. He had nothing to hide. He characterized Frank “a wise guy” and the friend had a record and was probably getting a deal for his testimony. The Prosecutor hammered away at what she viewed as David’s patterns of lies. She acknowledged that intercourse could have been painful but not impossible.
The Judge instructed the jury that could bring a verdict of first degree murder, second degree murder, or manslaughter. The jury deliberated for 12 hours. The jury’s verdict came back not guilty on all verdicts.
In 2019, Detective Cormier wanted to try to get this case solved. She started from the beginning, questioning witnesses again and evaluating evidence. Unfortunately, DNA slides have not been able to bring closure to the case. The community never stopped believing that David was the man that ended Donna’s life so tragically that night in 1979.
Detective Cormier has been searching the information needed to help give Donna’s family the closure they need.
If you and anyone you know have information about the murder of Donna, you are asked to call the Pawtucket Police at 401-727-9100 or the Rhode Island Tip Line at 1-877-RI-SOLVE (1-877-747-6583)
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