Man Dumped Woman's Body In Westford: Police

WESTFORD, MA —A Middlesex County Grand Jury indicted a man in connection with the body of a woman who was found in Westford in February, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Westford Chief of Police Thomas McEnaney announced. Daniel Perras, 56, of Easthampton, was charged with improper disposal of a human body, destruction of evidence and being a habitual criminal in connection with the death of Melissa Mestre, 38, of Springfield, who was found along Providence Road in Westford Feb. 2.

On Jan. 31, Perras picked up Mestre from her Springfield home and drove her to the Haverhill area, according to police. During the trip the woman began to experience symptoms of a drug overdose, became unresponsive and died. After realizing she was dead, the Perras got off the highway in Westford and left her body on an embankment along the side of the road. He then disposed of her personal belongings off the French King Bridge in Erving before returning to western Massachusetts, police said.

“This indictment reflects months of collaborative investigative work,” said Ryan. “This defendant acted with complete disregard for Ms. Mestre’s wellbeing, travelling past a fire station where they could have received help, and then leaving her body on the side of the road. Furthermore, the defendant’s actions to conceal the crime resulted in a lengthy investigation that left Ms. Mestre’s family without answers for months. Westford Police and the Massachusetts State Police assigned to my office have been unwavering in their focus on this case which resulted in the charges we are announcing today.”

“I am grateful to the dedicated work of the police officers who never gave up on this case,” said Chief McEnaney. “This was a lengthy and complicated investigation conducted by our Westford Officers in collaboration with Massachusetts State Police and the District Attorney’s Office. I commend the officers who worked tirelessly on this case to provide some answers to Ms. Mestre’s family and hold Mr. Perras accountable for his actions.”

On Feb. 2, Westford police responded to the area of 104 Providence Rd. for a report of a body along the embankment. When they got there, they found the body but were unable to identify her at the time. Police began an investigation into her death based on the location and because she was not dressed in appropriate clothing for the cold temperatures. The case was referred to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner who positively identified Mestre using her fingerprints and determined that she died from an overdose.

Perras was arrested Wednesday at his Easthampton home by the Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section, Westford oolice, and Easthampton police.

Perras was indicted Oct. 1 and will be arraigned Oct. 2 in the Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn.

Related:

• Woman's Body Found On Side Of Road In Westford: DA
• Woman Found Dead In Westford ID'd: DA