Communications

By Toni Marie Roderick, executive director, Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center, and Lucy Rios, executive director, Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence

PROVIDENCE, R.I., November 14, 2025 – Our hearts are heavy as we learn of the tragic loss of 29-year-old Morgan Lynn Boss, whose life was taken far too soon. Morgan is the third domestic violence homicide victim in Rhode Island within just two and a half weeks, with a potential fourth case still under investigation. This level of loss in such a short period is devastating, and it reflects a deeper crisis that our state can no longer ignore.

Each victim was a person who deserved safety, support, and a future. Instead, our communities are grieving repeated tragedy while also navigating increased strain—families struggling to meet their basic needs, people disconnected from resources, and systems stretched to their limits. Violence does not arise in a vacuum; it grows where systems fail to support our communities and survivors, where intervention comes too late, and where warning signs are not met with adequate response.

Morgan was only 29. Domestic violence remains the leading cause of death for women ages 18 to 34, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. This is unacceptable—and preventable.

Our state must do more to address this escalating violence and the needs of victims by strengthening every system meant to protect them, before another life is taken. We must invest in the resources and supports that strengthen families, reduce risk, and provide survivors with real pathways to safety. We must remain connected to one another in community and do what we can as individuals to take care of each other.

We mourn the lives of Morgan Lynn Boss, Kimberly Pieranunzi, as well as Donald Roderick Jr., and we remain committed to building communities where safety, stability, and connection are possible for everyone.

The Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center (BVAC) is available to support anyone affected by this tragedy. Advocates can assist with safety planning, counseling, and connecting survivors and families to essential resources.

If you or someone you know needs assistance, please reach out.

• Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center: (401) 723-3057
• Rhode Island Victims of Crime Helpline: 1-800-494-8100 (24/7 statewide Helpline)
• RI Helpline chat available online at: www.ricadv.org

Together, we can build a Rhode Island where every person has access to safety, stability, and support, and where the conditions in our communities do not increase the risk for domestic violence but instead promote safety, healing, and opportunity.

For more information about resources available for survivors and how you can help, visit our website at www.ricadv.org. If you or someone you know needs assistance, please call the statewide confidential 24/7 RI Victims of Crime Helpline at 1-800-494-8100. The Helpline is also available via online chat at www.ricadv.org.

About BVAC: The Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center (BVAC) has been providing services to victims of domestic violence in the Blackstone Valley area for over three decades, and now offers services in Providence County and northern Rhode Island. It is their voices, their struggles, and their experiences, which guide our work. BVAC is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide comprehensive services to victims of domestic and sexual violence and to provide education and awareness on the issue of domestic violence. Visit www.bvacri.org for more information.

About the RICADV: The Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence (RICADV) is an organization dedicated to ending domestic violence. The RICADV was formed in 1979 to support and assist the domestic violence agencies in Rhode Island and to provide statewide leadership on the issue. The organization strives to create justice for victims and raises awareness on the issue of domestic violence in Rhode Island. The RICADV’s network of member agencies provides a wide array of services for victims, including emergency shelter, support groups, counseling services and assistance with the legal system. For more information about these organizations and services, call the statewide Helpline at 800-494-8100. And for more information about the RICADV, call us at 401-467-9940 or visit us online at www.ricadv.org.

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*If you are a member of the media on deadline and are reaching out after hours, please contact the Rhode Island statewide Helpline at 800-494-8100.