SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Three bodies were pulled from a home on Page Boulevard in Springfield and police have been using ground penetrating radar to search the home and its property.
The disturbing saga started five days ago when police pulled over 47-year-old Stewart Weldon for a broken tail light.
Police say Weldon then led them on a "very dangerous pursuit and violent struggle" and was eventually arrested.
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Police found a distraught and badly beaten woman in Weldon's car who told them he had bludgeoned her with a hammer and raped her repeatedly. She said Weldon had been holding her captive for a month.
"Thank you for saving my life," the woman told officers, according to a police report. "I never thought I would get away."
The woman was taken to a hospital with what police called "grotesque and violent" injuries, including a possible fractured jaw, stab wounds to her abdomen, marks from being hit with a blunt object and a leg infection.
Investigators executed a search warrant at Weldon's home, where they found three bodies.
"Additional information came in, which brought them to this address," Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni said Friday. "The search has continued since the recovery of a third body."
Names, ages or genders of the bodies have not been released.
Theresa Jenkins, Weldon's aunt, said she was shocked about the situation.
"We just can't believe it because he does have a kind heart," Jenkins said. "He really does, when he's, you know, Stewart."
His aunt said she lost contact with him when he moved from their shared apartment in Westfield to Springfield two years ago.
"It's really upset our whole family," Jenkins said. "We're really shocked."
The Department of Children and Families confirmed to Boston 25 News they had taken "emergency custody of a child in the home," but could not release and further details.
Court records also show the woman that claimed she was kidnapped had a child with Weldon.
One neighbor, Stephan Davis, said the DCF took custody on Wednesday night.
"The only thing I heard her say was 'Mommy, get mommy, I want to go with mommy,' and that's the hardest thing," Davis said. "When children are involved in a mess like this."
A DCF spokesperson said the agency is working with law enforcement on the investigation.
Weldon is being held on $1 million bail for kidnapping and sexually assaulting and torturing a woman. Weldon had not been charged in connection with the discovery of the bodies.
Investigators were back at the house Friday morning where our crews saw them wearing sanitary suits and boots.
"We have used the ground penetrating radar technology, which has given us some preliminary results," Gulluni said. "Needless to say the search has been very thorough ... my expectation is that we're going to be here for days, if not longer than that."
The remains of the victims were sent to the state medical examiner's office in Boston.