Blodget Arraigned for Two Murders in Superior Court

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SALEM, Mass. – June 12, 2025 – Jay Blodget, 30, of Salem, was arraigned today in Superior Court for the murders of Andrew Ross Guempel of Arizona and Jonathan Thompson of Oregon, the Office of Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker announces. Blodget pled not guilty.

Guempel and Thompson were 41 and 42, respectively, at the time of their deaths; the deceased men were discovered by a man walking his dog on the afternoon of Wednesday, April 23. Salem Police responded to the call and found the two victims with signs of blunt force trauma and stab wounds in the woods next to the Walmart store located at 450 Highland Avenue in Salem.

Blodget was previously arraigned in Salem District Court on Thursday, April 24. Today, the case moved to Superior Court before the Hon. Kathleen McCarthy-Neyman. Blodget was ordered held without bail and is scheduled to return to court for a pretrial conference on Thursday, July 24.

The Commonwealth was represented by Assistant District Attorney Alex Grimes and Chief of Superior Court James Gubitose. The defendant was represented by attorney Michael Phelan.

All suspects and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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