Convicted Killer Indicted in 1980 Murder

BOSTON, December 12, 2019 — Nearly 40 years after Wendy Dansereau was raped and murdered in a Boston hotel room, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins announced that the man who killed her has been charged.

A Suffolk County grand jury yesterday afternoon returned indictments charging STEVEN FIKE with rape and first-degree murder in Ms. Dansereau’s March 18, 1980, homicide. The defendant is currently incarcerated in Alabama in a 1982 rape and murder for which he is currently eligible for parole. An arraignment date in Suffolk Superior Court has not yet been set.

“Ms. Dansereau was 19 years old when she was murdered, and her family has waited nearly four decades to know what happened to her. Today, we have not only the advances in forensic testing necessary to identify her killer, but a team of dedicated professionals – including Boston Police Detective Jack Cronin and SCDAO Civilian Investigator Emily Wood – who have worked to find answers for Ms. Dansereau’s loved ones, especially her daughter, who was only four weeks old at the time of her mother’s death and has waited her entire life for accountability,” District Attorney Rollins said.

An employee of the Hotel Diplomat in the South End discovered Ms. Dansereau’s body inside a hotel room on March 18, 1980. She had been sexually assaulted and strangled. A sample of DNA collected during the early stages of the investigation was entered into the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and was ultimately matched to the defendant’s genetic profile. His DNA had been entered into the national database as the result of his conviction of a 1982 rape and murder, for which he is currently serving a term of life in prison with the possibility of parole.

In addition to DNA and physical evidence, police reports place the defendant in New England the day before the victim’s body was found.

“We have not forgotten Wendy Dansereau, and we haven’t forgotten the hundreds of victims whose murders remain unsolved or the families who are still waiting and praying for answers and accountability,” District Attorney Rollins said. “I have prioritized unsolved homicides and the needs of survivors. No matter how much time has passed, my staff and I will never forget your loved one and that they mattered. We are here to help you and connect you with the support and services you deserve.”

In September, District Attorney Rollins announced the Project for Unsolved Suffolk Homicides (PUSH), an office-wide initiative to review unsolved homicides and invest her agency’s resources in these important cases. The ambitious project occurs in stages. During the first step, non-legal staff within the District Attorney’s Office conduct a preliminary administrative review of case files to uniformly inventory and summarize the contents of the file, through which sources of leads and potential next steps may be identified. In the second phase, the PUSH Assessment Committee review the findings of each administrative review and determine potential next steps in the investigation (forwarding the case to an Assistant District Attorney or a Boston Police Department Homicide Detective). The first wave of administrative reviews concludes this month.

“We may not be able to provide every family with the answers that we have found for Ms. Dansereau’s loved ones, but we can let every survivor of homicide know that we remember their loved one and we remain committed to solving their murder,’’ DA Rollins said. “We will continue to work on their behalf. And we will not rest. There is no statute of limitations on murder.’’

Assistant District Attorney John Verner led the grand jury proceedings that resulted in yesterday’s indictment. Erin O’Connor is the assigned Victim Witness Advocate. A Suffolk Superior Court arraignment date has not yet been set.

All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins’ office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 25,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs more than 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.