State Police Honor Three in Apprehension of Murder Suspect
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She was on her way to Pittsfield from her home in Riverton, Conn., when she saw something on the side of Route 8 — something that made her do a U-turn. What she found on the roadside in Otis would lead to the arrest of a murder suspect and the recovery of the body of 20-year-old Whitney Bass of Waterbury, Conn.
"Honestly, the thought that went through my mind is 'you're going to regret this if you don't turn around,'" said Heath on Friday morning after receiving a citation from the state police for her actions.
Also honored with Division Commander Commendations were her boyfriend, Eric Hoffman, and Trooper Stephen Lord for "exceptional contributions" leading to the arrests of Vernon L. Cowan Jr. and his wife, Anthea Baggett, in connection with Bass' murder. They are being prosecuted in Connecticut.
"Although we are often conscious of jurisdiction and boundaries when it comes to crime fighting, these boundaries don't matter — it's a matter of doing the right thing," said Berkshire District Attorney David F. Capeless, addressing the gathering state police and prosecutors in the Anne M. Kendall Memorial Library in the district attorney's offices on North Street. "Heath didn't stop to consider, 'I'm in Massachusetts.'"
What was that "large black something" that pinged Heath's intuition? It was a duffle bag, partly open and filled with clothing and a card and odds and ends. Then she saw something nearby — a blanket with blood on it.
"It was a little creepy. I knew there had to be something wrong. You just don't find something with blood on it," said Heath. "I thought maybe somebody got hit ... who was hitchhiking."
 Lt. Col. Stephen Matthews, left, Hoffman, Heath and Trooper Stephen Lord share a laugh. |
With that, she grabbed the duffle bag and headed for the nearest police station. But it was all too weird, like something out of a television show.
"You think, no, this can't really be what you think it is," she said. So Heath called Hoffman for moral support. "[He said] you're not crazy, there's something wrong."
When she got to the state police barracks in Lee, desk officer Lord searched the bag and found a birth certificate for Cowan. That lead to contacts with Waterbury Police; Lord also spoke to Otis and Becket police and the state Highway Department about locating and preserving the items Heath had discovered.
Before long, Connecticut police responded that Cowan was suspected of setting the apartment of his girlfriend, Bass, on fire earlier that morning. Lord dispatched patrols to help with the search and called in K-9 units and state police detectives and coordinated resources.
Bass' battered body was discovered in the afternoon about 60 yards in the woods, not far from where the duffle bag had been abandoned.
Police say Cowan stabbed Bass multiple times in her Waterbury apartment, then dumped her body in Otis — just hours before Heath drove by. He also is accused of burning the car in which he transported the body and setting fire to Bass' apartment in an attempt to destroy evidence.
Cowan and Baggett were arrested in New York City that night. Cowan is being held on $2 million bail on charges of felony murder and first-degree arson in Connecticut; his next court date is in January. Baggett is being held on $750,000 bail on charges of accessory to arson and accessory to hindering prosecution; her next court date is in December.
Lt. Col. Stephen Matthews, commanding officer of the division of investigative services, who presented the awards, said if Heath, Hoffman and Lord had acted differently, Bass' body might never have been found.
"Had Debra not stopped, had Eric not encouraged her to continue to go a policestation and show what she had found, and had Trooper Lord not thoroughly investigated what others might have dismissed as found property, Waterbury Police might still be investigating a missing person," he said. "But because of their efforts, evidence was preserved and two suspects were arrested and authorities were able to speak and seek justice for a murdered woman and her loved ones."When citizens work together with law enforcement, "good things result," said Capeless, who thanked all three on behalf of Bass' family, who "at least had that closure."
"I can't imagine if it was my daughter, I'm glad to see her returned to her family," said Heath. "I'm glad they got him. That he'll be prosecuted is a good outcome from a bad situation."
