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Rhode Island tenant facing eviction charged in ax murder of landlord found in the woods wrapped in tarp

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Rhode Island tenant facing eviction charged in ax murder of landlord found in the woods wrapped in tarp


A Rhode Island man facing eviction from his rental home has been charged with murder after he allegedly killed his landlord with an ax blow to the head.

Jacob Morrill, 24, from Portsmouth, was arrested Monday after leading police to the body of the victim, 50-year-old Xue Feng Wu, wrapped in a tarp and stashed in the woods.

Morrill appeared before a judge Tuesday and was arraigned on a charge of first-degree murder.

“We haven’t had an incident like this for a few years now, so it definitely is a shock to see that here in Portsmouth,” Police Chief Brian Peters said during a press briefing Tuesday.

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Police said that Wu had left his home in Tiverton early Monday to check on his property in the 1700 block of West Road that Morrill had been renting, reported the station ABC6.

Shortly after 4:30 p.m., police arrived at the house looking for the landlord, whose concerned family members requested a welfare check because they could not get a hold of him.

Jacob Morrill, 24, appeared in Rhode Island court Tuesday to be arraigned on a first-degree murder charge in his landlord’s brutal killing.
WPRI-TV

Morrill's rental home in Portsmouth, RI
Morrill allegedly took an ax to the head of his landlord, Xue Feng Wu, at his rental home on West Road in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.
WPRI-TV

Cops encountered Morrill at the home, who told them that Wu had paid him a visit earlier before heading to court in Providence.

Shortly after 6 p.m., Morrill called the police and allegedly confessed to killing his landlord.

According to investigators, during Wu’s visit that morning, he and Morrill got into an argument in the garage, and the tenant grabbed a small ax and struck the homeowner in the head, killing him.


Police at the murder scene in Portsmouth
Police initially responded to the scene Monday afternoon for a welfare check at the request of Wu’s family.
WPRI-TV

After initially denying any wrongdoing, Morrill allegedly confessed to killing Wu during an argument in the garage.
After initially denying any wrongdoing, Morrill allegedly confessed to killing Wu during an argument in the garage.
WPRI-TV

Morrill then allegedly wrapped Wu’s body in a tarp and dumped it in the nearby woods, where the victim was later found under a piece of wire fencing and other debris thanks to information given by the suspect.

When police executed a search warrant at Morrill’s home, they said they recovered the murder weapon.

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Jacob Morrill's mugshot
Morrill told police where to find his landlord’s body, which was found wrapped in a tarp in the woods.
Portsmouth Police Department

Morrill was arrested behind a Mobil gas station near his house, where he agreed to meet the police.

Wu, who was married with a young daughter, had been trying to evict Morrill and had a court hearing scheduled for the morning of his killing, reported WPRI.

Morrill was ordered held without bond pending a bail hearing set for June 6.



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Gas prices continue downward trend in Rhode Island, but demand heating up

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Gas prices continue downward trend in Rhode Island, but demand heating up


PROVIDENCE — Gas prices are down again for a sixth straight week, but the trend is likely coming to an end as both temperatures and demand continue to heat up.



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Christian McCaffrey and fiancé Olivia Culpo jet off to Rhode Island ahead of wedding

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Christian McCaffrey and fiancé Olivia Culpo jet off to Rhode Island ahead of wedding


The countdown is on!

Olivia Culpo and Christian McCaffrey took off for Rhode Island in a private jet Monday as they get ready to tie the knot.

“Let it begin 👰🏻‍♀️🤍🥹,” the former beauty queen captioned an Instagram post, which included pics of the soon-to-be newlyweds holding hands and standing in front of a private jet and life-size letters that read, “Mr & Mrs.”

Olivia Culpo and fiancé Christian McCaffrey boarded their wedding flight to Rhode Island. oliviaculpo/Instagram
“Let it begin 👰🏻‍♀️🤍🥹,” she captioned the Instagram post Monday. oliviaculpo/Instagram
The couple posed for pics in front of a private jet, balloons and life-size letters that read, “Mr & Mrs.” oliviaculpo/Instagram

The carousel of pics also included shots inside the plane. The floor of the jet was sprinkled with white petals and a tablet showed a gallery of Culpo and McCaffrey’s pics together over the years.

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For the wedding flight meal, the couple could choose from chicken lettuce wraps, ahi sushi bowls, summer strawberry crunch salad and several breakfast dishes.

The “Culpo Sisters” star, 32, and the San Francisco 49ers player, 28, could then enjoy chocolate-covered strawberries and espresso martinis for dessert.

One last shot featured the happy couple — who were accompanied by their pup, Oliver Sprinkles — sharing a sweet kiss while holding hands across the small aisle.

White rose petals were spread along the aisle of the plane. oliviaculpo/Instagram
A tablet showed a gallery of Culpo and McCaffrey’s pics together over the years. oliviaculpo/Instagram
For the wedding flight meal, the reality star and the NFL player had the option of dining on chicken lettuce wraps, ahi sushi bowls, summer strawberry crunch salad and several breakfast dishes. oliviaculpo/Instagram

For the romantic trek, the reality star was dressed in an all-white linen look while her beau looked comfy in a gray T-shirt, blue sweatpants and white sneakers.

Culpo and the NFL star are reportedly set to exchange vows in Rhode Island, where she was born and raised.

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In April 2023, the former Miss Universe announced she was engaged to McCaffrey after nearly four years of dating.

“♾️4.2.23♾️,” she captioned a slideshow of photos on Instagram of the running back getting down on one knee.

The pair’s pup, Oliver Sprinkles, joined them for the flight. oliviaculpo/Instagram
Culpo dressed in an all-white linen look for the romantic trek. oliviaculpo/Instagram
McCaffrey sported a gray T-shirt, blue sweatpants and white sneakers. oliviaculpo/Instagram
Culpo and McCaffrey announced their engagement in April 2023 after four years pf dating. oliviaculpo/instagram

“We tried to keep this quiet for as long as possible but apparently word travels fast. I’m marrying my best friend. I love you so much, fiancé,” she added on her Instagram Story.

Culpo previously revealed that she plans to try to start a family “immediately” after they get married.

“I feel like the day after my wedding, I’m just gonna rip out my IUD and start trying immediately,” she said in an October 2023 TikTok video.

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Bad polling news for Governor McKee, and President Biden – The Boston Globe

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Bad polling news for Governor McKee, and President Biden – The Boston Globe


The online and text message survey of 1,450 likely Rhode Island voters was conducted June 5 to June 14 by Embold Research.

You can read the full survey here, and below are five key takeaways.

Bridge trouble for Governor McKee

This is the first public polling we’ve seen that asks a specific question about the failure of the westbound side of the Washington Bridge, and McKee takes a hit. Only 29 percent of likely voters said they approve of his handling of the bridge, while 59 percent said they disapprove. The poll also showed 60 percent of likely voters think the state is on the wrong track. McKee’s 36 percent overall job approval is below US Senator Jack Reed (58 percent), US Representative Seth Magaziner (51 percent), US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (48 percent), US Representative Gabe Amo (42 percent) and Biden (42 percent).

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The Kennedy factor

Rhode Island probably isn’t going to decide the presidential election, but four years after Biden earned more than 59 percent of the vote against Trump, only 40 percent of likely voters say they’re sticking with the incumbent president. Two concerns for Biden: RFK Jr. has 12 percent among likely voters, and 17 among independents, and only 72 percent of Democrats said they are voting for Biden (by comparison, Trump commands the support of 87 percent of Republicans).

Whitehouse, Magaziner, and Amo are heavy favorites

Reed, the most popular politician in the state, doesn’t face reelection until 2026. But the poll shows Whitehouse, Magaziner, and Amo appear well on their way to breeze past their Republican opponents in the November election. Whitehouse was at 48 percent compared to 34 percent for whichever Republican he faces (state Representative Patti Morgan or Ray McKay). Magaziner leads little-known challenger Steve Corvi 47 percent to 33 percent, and Amo has a 50-percent to 29-percent lead over perennial candidate Allen Waters.

Sabina Matos’ uphill battle

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It’s not easy to build your profile as lieutenant governor, and Sabina Matos has the added challenge of dealing with a voter signature scandal that rocked her campaign for Congress last year. Now she finds herself at 27 percent approval and 39 percent disapproval in job performance. The bright side for Matos is that 35 percent of voters said they weren’t sure, but this poll isn’t likely to curb talk of a Democratic primary challenger for Matos in 2026. 

Everyone wants an inspector general

Except the people who could make it happen. Democrats, Republicans, and independents all expressed overwhelming support for a Republican-led proposal to create an independent inspector general’s office to investigate waste and fraud in government. Among likely voters, 73 percent said they support an inspector general, while just 8 percent oppose.


This story first appeared in Rhode Map, our free newsletter about Rhode Island that also contains information about local events, links to interesting stories, and more. If you’d like to receive it via e-mail Monday through Friday, you can sign up here.


Dan McGowan can be reached at dan.mcgowan@globe.com. Follow him @danmcgowan.





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