On May 8, 2018, Massachusetts State Police detectives arrived at a farmhouse in Westfield to find 51-year-old Amy Fanion dead from a gunshot wound to the head. Her husband, Brian Fanion, a detective in the Westfield Police Department, claimed she had shot herself. Detectives found clues including blood spatter, bullet casings, and glasses with blood spatter, raising suspicions about the nature of the incident.
Brian Fanion’s duty weapon, a Smith & Wesson M&P 45, was identified as the gun used in Amy’s death, which raised concerns due to it being his weapon. Detectives from the Massachusetts State Police conducted a detailed investigation and took Brian Fanion in for questioning to gather more information on the events leading up to Amy’s death.
During questioning, Brian Fanion described a tense argument with Amy, leading to a tragic incident where she allegedly shot herself. However, evidence from deleted text messages between Brian and another woman, Cori Knowles, indicated a romantic relationship between them, revealing potential motives for the crime.
As the investigation progressed, further evidence emerged suggesting that Brian Fanion had searched for methods to stage a murder as a suicide. This, along with the lack of gunshot residue on Amy’s body and trajectory analysis of the bullet, pointed to foul play rather than suicide as the cause of Amy’s death.
Despite the defense presenting arguments regarding Amy’s anger issues and stress in their marriage, the prosecution built a case around Brian Fanion’s affair, online searches, and forensic evidence to convict him of first-degree murder. After a trial that included witness testimonies and expert analysis, Brian Fanion was found guilty and sentenced to life without parole for the murder of his wife, Amy Fanion.
The conviction was a bittersweet victory for Assistant District Attorney Mary Sandstrom, who acknowledged that Amy should still be alive. Brian Fanion’s legal team has filed an appeal, continuing the legal battle surrounding the disturbing case of Amy Fanion’s tragic death in Westfield.
