Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced the conviction of a Woonsocket man for the 2016 murder of Constance Gauthier, an 81-year-old woman. The verdict was delivered on January 15, 2025, after an eight-day jury trial presided over by Superior Court Justice Maureen B. Keough in Providence County Superior Court.
Matthew Dusseault, Jr., aged 27, was found guilty of first-degree murder. The jury determined that the crime involved aggravated battery or torture, making him eligible for life imprisonment without parole. Sentencing is scheduled for March 28, 2025.
Attorney General Neronha stated, "Look no further than the judgment imposed by this jury to understand the severity of this defendant’s crime." He acknowledged the impact on Gauthier's family and friends and expressed hope that they find closure through justice being served. Neronha also thanked the Woonsocket Police Department for their investigative efforts.
The prosecution demonstrated that on or around March 22, 2016, Dusseault stabbed Gauthier multiple times at her Woonsocket home. On March 23, police responded to a report from a neighbor who saw Gauthier lying unresponsive through a window. Officers discovered her with over 60 stab wounds partially hidden under a mattress. Although the scene appeared ransacked, nothing was stolen.
In July 2018, investigators used genealogical review on touch DNA samples from the crime scene. Partial familial matches led them to Dusseault. He provided a buccal swab during an interview with police which matched DNA evidence from the scene.
Woonsocket Police Chief Thomas F. Oates III commented on the case: “Violent crime will not be tolerated in our community, and I am grateful to see this defendant brought to justice.” He thanked his department and the Attorney General’s Office for their dedication.
Assistant Attorney General Scott Erickson and Detective Anthony Conetta were instrumental in leading both investigation and prosecution efforts.