In some cases, parents encouraged their children to spend time with the predator priest, not knowing that the priest was molesting their child.

ALTOONA, Pennsylvania -- Victims interviewed during the investigation into allegations of child sex abuse in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown told investigators their abuse -- which in some cases happened decades ago -- continues to affect their lives today.

"They said they lost their faith," said Daniel J. Dye, state Deputy Attorney General. "That is a profound thing to think about. A lot were from very devout Catholic homes and having a priest take interest in them was a status symbol."

In some cases, Dye said, parents encouraged their children to spend time with the predator priest, not knowing that the priest was molesting their child.

"They found themselves offended on not only by the person they trusted most but the physical representative of God on Earth," Dye said. "The way they described it to us is the violation was total. They were violated in spirit, mind and body."

On Tuesday Attorney General Kathleen Kane announced the findings of a two-year investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse at the hands of priests and church leaders in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. The 147-page report laid out in graphic accounts details of horrific abuse of hundreds of children in the diocese at the hands of more than 50 years spanning a four-decade timeframe.

Priests and church leaders sexually abused hundreds of children in Altoona Diocese: AG office

Dye said many of the victims today say they struggle with organized religion, specifically anything to do with the Catholic Church.

"Many struggle with psychological issues and drug and alcohol dependency issues," he said. "Again and again, we heard about them struggling to maintain relationships, struggling to hold down jobs and struggling just to have the normal life that many people take for granted because they haven't gone through the horrors these children went through at the hands of priests."

Dye said many victims expressed finding some comfort in the fact that their abuse was now coming to light and being reported by the media.

"That was a recurring theme," he said. "Many said I may live behind a wall of silence but finally the world will hear from me ... Will it ever fix what happened to them? No, but it will give them some peace of mind in knowing that the people who did these things to them are now being exposed for whom they were."

While state law enforcement officials consider the findings of the report to be criminal, no charges can be leveled on individuals at this time, primarily because the statute of limitations for many of the cases has expired. In some limited cases, the unnamed victim or victims are too deeply traumatized to testify in court, the report indicates. Many of the accused are dead.

Still, Dye said, that is not a dead-end.

'Everything could change with one phone call," he said. "These cases are so dependent on specific facts. We have to look at specific cases individually. The right phone call with the right fact could result in charges."

Even though authorities can bring down no charges at this time, Dye said the announcement of the report was still a victory.

"It allows us to begin that accountability process, that notification process so citizens, moms and dad around Pennsylvania, in particular in this diocese, can use this information to make informed decisions regarding what is best for their families."

Dye said that all the priest named in the report - more than 50 - are either dead or have been removed from ministry, although many continue to work as priests in some capacity within the church.

Pope Francis in 2014 created the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors to advise him in the fight against child sexual abuse has reiterated that Catholic bishops have "a moral and ethical responsibility" to report suspected abuse to civil authorities.

Pope Francis in 2014 created the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors to advise him in the fight against child sexual abuse has reiterated that Catholic bishops have "a moral and ethical responsibility" to report suspected abuse to civil authorities. In this photo taken in September 2014, Francis celebrates Mass at Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia. James Robinson, PennLive.comIvey DeJesus | idejesus@pennlive.com

Dye said he would go as far as to say he was confident that the Altoona Diocese was free of predator priests.

"The diocese's response to this report will help tell the tale," he said. "If we hear of a diocese that is seeking aggressively to bring these matters to law enforcement and not hide from its dark history but rather acknowledge it, then we are on the right track."

A hotline has been established for victims. Anyone wanting to report instances of clergy child sex abuse in the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese should call 888-538-8541.

The accident happened shortly after 6 p.m. at the Sweet Tomatoes Pizza restaurant on Washington Street.

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Two people were killed, and seven others hurt after an SUV plowed into a restaurant in West Newton Tuesday evening.

According to WCVB-TV, the accident happened shortly after 6 p.m. at the Sweet Tomatoes Pizza restaurant on Washington Street.

Police reported that the vehicle did not stop as it traveled down Chestnut Street, crossed Washington and ran into the restaurant.

Firefighters draped red tarps over the front of the building to prevent people from seeing wreckage inside the restaurant, the Boston Herald reported. But before the tarps were hung, a Volkwagen SUV could be seen among the debris.

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said the two people killed are believed to have been customers of the restaurant. She said three of the seven hurt were in serious condition.

One of the owners of the restaurant told WBZ-TV that he was devastated by the accident, adding that restaurant employees were among those injured. The driver of the SUV was reported to be in fair condition. One of the injured people included a customer of the restaurant.

The Boston Globe reported that the SUV was still at the scene at 8:30 p.m. Investigators were using flashlights to examine the pavement and look under the vehicle around 9 p.m.

Public safety officials could be seen coming and going from an adjacent building as they continued their investigation, the newspaper reported.

Officials at Newton-Wellesley Hospital confirmed for NECN that four of the patients were at their facility. The driver and a male customer were listed in fair condition. Two women, a customer and an employee, were in fair condition.

The cable news network reported that a Newton firefighter was also hurt, but later treated and released.

Early results of the exit poll show that Hillary Clinton was leading among those who consider themselves Democrats, but independent voters who participated in the Democratic primary chose Bernie Sanders by a nearly 2-1 margin.

By BOB SALSBERG

BOSTON -- Independent-minded voters who make up more than half of the Massachusetts electorate sought a change from the status quo when casting their ballots Tuesday in the presidential primary.

Early results of the exit poll conducted by Edison Research for The Associated Press and television networks show that Hillary Clinton was leading among those who consider themselves Democrats, but independent voters who participated in the Democratic primary chose Bernie Sanders by a nearly 2-1 margin.

Clinton was favored by voters who valued experience in government and the ability to beat the Republicans in November.

Likewise about half of all Republican primary voters who consider themselves independent broke for Donald Trump over his rivals, U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson.

Trump also was favored by Republican voters who said they were angry and dissatisfied with government.

Here is a closer look at the mood of the electorate in Massachusetts:

Trusts vs. experience

Stark differences emerged among Democratic voters when asked which of several qualities were most important to the candidate they chose. An overwhelming number of voters who valued experience above other qualities selected Clinton, as did about three in four who considered the ability to defeat the Republican nominee in November. Conversely, voters who said honesty mattered most to them broke overwhelmingly for Sanders, and 7 of 10 who valued most the phrase "cares about people like me," also chose the Vermont senator.

Angry outsiders

More than half of Republican voters said they would prefer a candidate outside the political establishment to one with political experience. Trump garnered more than 7 in 10 of those voters and was also strongly favored by those who characterized themselves as angry or dissatisfied with government. He was also the overwhelming favorite among voters who sought a candidate who "tells it like it is." But among voters who said "sharing my values" was the quality that mattered most to them in deciding how they voted, Trump did not fare as well, finishing behind John Kasich, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz in that category.

Independent influence

People who are not enrolled in any political party make up more than 53 percent of the registered voters in Massachusetts and could vote in either the Democratic or Republican primaries. And it appeared these independent-minded voters were leaning strongly in the direction of candidates viewed as outside the mainstream. While Clinton led among those who consider themselves Democrats, voters who self-described as independent broke for Sanders by a nearly 2-1 margin. Likewise about half of all Republican voters who consider themselves independent said they cast their ballots for Trump.

On the issues

When Democratic voters were asked which of four issues -- health care, economy/jobs, terrorism or income inequality -- was the most important facing the country, about 4 in 10 chose the economy and 3 in 10 said income inequality. About 6 in 10 of those citing income inequality supported Sanders, who has made the issue a centerpiece of his campaign. Clinton led slightly among those who saw the overall economy and jobs as the key issue, and she also led slightly among those who identified health care or terrorism as most important.

The four issues Republicans were asked to choose from as most important were immigration, economy/jobs, terrorism and government spending. About one in three Massachusetts Republican voters identified the economy as the most important issue and among them, Trump led slightly, with Rubio second. But of the nearly one in five Republican voters who called immigration the most important issue, nearly 7 in 10 opted for Trump over the other GOP contenders.

The survey was conducted for AP and television networks by Edison Research as voters left their polling places at 25 randomly selected sites in Massachusetts. Preliminary results include interviews with 846 Democratic primary voters and 469 Republican primary voters. The results have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 5 percentage points for Democratic primary voters and plus or minus 7 percentage points for Republican primary voters.

The 2,190 Springfield votes for Trump made him the clear winner in the Republican primary, while Clinton's 11,550 votes in the Democratic primary put her far ahead of rival Bernie Sanders, who received 7,202 votes.

SPRINGFIELD — Primary voters in Springfield overwhelmingly supported Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton for president on Super Tuesday, mirroring national election results that show they're the candidates to beat.

Clinton received 11,550 votes to Bernie Sanders' 7,202 votes in the Democratic primary, while Trump received 2,190 votes to Marco Rubio's 749 votes in the Republican primary. The next closest threats in the Republican race were Ted Cruz, with 703 votes, and John Kasich, with 676 votes.

All told, 24,151 ballots were cast in Springfield on Tuesday, or nearly a quarter of the city's 97,203 registered voters. Broken down, that's 19,234 Democratic ballots and 4,806 Republican ballots.

Political analyst Tony Cignoli called Clinton's victory in Springfield "very decisive," especially considering Sanders' well-organized support network in Massachusetts.

Local Clinton supporters include Congressman Richard Neal, D-Springfield, and state Sen. Eric Lesser, D-Longmeadow, both of whom have "large armies" of their own, according to Cignoli. Their support helped make the difference for the former first lady in Springfield, he said.

Without mentioning Donald Trump, the spokesman for the Massachusetts Republican Party returned a volley from the Bay State's Democratic Party, noting that the Democrats are bleeding registered voters.

BOSTON - The spokesman for the Massachusetts Republican Party returned a volley from the Bay State's Democratic Party, noting that the Democrats are bleeding registered voters.

The Democrats used Donald Trump's GOP primary victory to hit Gov. Charlie Baker, a popular Republican since his election to the Corner Office in 2014. The chair of the Democratic Party, state Sen. Thomas McGee, said Baker was more focused on an intra-party fight over Republican state committee seats than standing up to Trump.

Baker has frequently criticized Trump's comments when asked about them by reporters. Baker said Tuesday neither Trump nor U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz received his vote, but declined to specify who did.

Asked about McGee's statement, the Mass. GOP hit back.

"Tens of thousands of Democrats have deserted their party in recent weeks and filed to become independents and Republicans, which tells you all you need to know about the state of the Democratic Party in Massachusetts today," Terry MacCormack, GOP spokesman, said in an email.

MacCormack was referring numbers released by Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin, who serves as the state's elections chief.

Galvin said on Monday that almost 20,000 registered voters left the Massachusetts Democratic Party since the beginning of this year. Galvin partly attributed the move to the Trump "phenomenon," though he acknowledged he was taking a guess.

Kirsten Hughes, the chairman of the Mass. GOP, called the change a "mass exodus" and added that she is "excited about our Party's growth and enthusiasm as we look toward November."

The statement, issued shortly after 10 p.m., did not mention Trump, who handily won the Massachusetts GOP primary with nearly 50 percent of the vote.

"On behalf of the Massachusetts Republican Party, I want to congratulate and thank all of our Republican candidates on successful and energetic campaigns," she said. 

The statement then took aim at the Democratic frontrunner.

"Tonight, Hillary Clinton experienced a huge setback with an embarrassingly dismal showing in a race with a radical socialist in a state she won handily in 2008, because voters simply do not trust her," Hughes said. "Clearly, Democrats are weakened and bruised heading into the fall, as an energized Republican Party prepares to turn the page on the failed Obama years."

Nearly 20,000 voters left Massachusetts Democratic Party this year, possibly due to Donald Trump

Voters officially approved a proposition 2-1/2 debt exclusion, allowing the town to exceed the 2.5 percent annual tax levy cap, to pay back loans for the life of the bonds. The approval means major renovations at East Meadow School, and a new building to replace West Street School, adjacent to East Meadow.

West Street School.Jim Russell file 

GRANBY - By a more than 2-1 margin voters in Tuesday's election said "yes" to funding a $34 million school construction project, thus approving a 7.7 percent tax increase to pay the bonds to finance it.

The turnout was more than 55 percent of Granby's registered voters with 1,646 in favor, and 800 against out of 2,446 ballots cast, according to the town clerk.

Voters officially approved a Proposition 2½ debt exclusion, allowing the town to exceed the 2.5 percent annual tax levy cap, to pay back loans for the life of the bonds. The approval means major renovations at East Meadow School, and a new building to replace West Street School, adjacent to East Meadow.

The Massachusetts School Building Authority has pledged $17,624,506 to fund the project. The town pays the rest.

"The people of Granby have ... decided in favor of progress and the future. This decision renews Granby's dedication to the education of our children and lays the foundation for more good things to come," selectmen chairman Mark Bail said when the results were known. He also chairs the school building committee.

Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton swept through the South on Super Tuesday — front-runners claiming victory in their parties' primaries in delegate-rich Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and Virginia. The two appeared ever more likely to end up in a general election showdown. Watch video

By JULIE PACE and JILL COLVIN

WASHINGTON -- Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton swept through the South on Super Tuesday -- front-runners claiming victory in their parties' primaries in delegate-rich Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and Virginia. The two appeared ever more likely to end up in a general election showdown.

On the Republican side, Ted Cruz won his home state of Texas, as well as neighboring Oklahoma. Democrat Bernie Sanders picked up a home-state win as well, in Vermont, and won in Oklahoma, too.

Still, the night belonged to Trump and Clinton, who turned the busiest day of the 2016 primaries into a showcase of their strength with a wide swath of American voters.

Signaling her confidence, Clinton set her sights on Trump as she addressed supporters during a victory rally.

"It's clear tonight that the stakes in this election have never been higher and the rhetoric we're hearing on the other side has never been lower," she said.

Trump, too, had his eye on a general election match-up with the former secretary of state, casting her as part of a political establishment that has failed Americans.

"She's been there for so long," Trump said at his swanky Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. "If she hasn't straightened it out by now, she's not going to straighten it out in the next four years."

Trump's dominance has rattled Republican leaders, who fear he's unelectable against Clinton in November. But all efforts to stop him have failed, including an aggressive campaign by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to discredit the billionaire businessman.

For Rubio, Super Tuesday turned into a bitter disappointment. While many Republican officeholders have rallied around him in recent days, his first victory remained elusive.

With an eye on Florida's March 15 primary, Rubio vowed to keep up efforts to "unmask the true nature of the front-runner in this race."

With results still coming in, Trump had won at least 139 Super Tuesday delegates, while Cruz picked up at least 52. Overall, Trump leads the Republican field with 221 delegates.

Sanders' wins did little to help him make up ground in his delegate race with Clinton. She was assured of winning at least 334 of the 865 at stake on Super Tuesday. That's compared to Sanders, who has at least 145 delegates.

Tuesday marked the busiest day of the 2016 primaries, with the biggest single-day delegate haul up for grabs. Democrats voted in 11 states and American Samoa, with 865 delegates at stake. Republicans voted in 11 states, with 595 delegates.

Clinton also picked up wins in Alabama, Arkansas, and Texas while Trump carried the GOP contests in Alabama and Massachusetts.

Cruz desperately needed his win in Texas in order to stay in the race, and was likely to keep campaigning as the only Republican who has been able to defeat Trump in any primary contest.

Still, Trump's wins in the South were a blow to Cruz, who once saw the region as his opportunity to stake a claim to the nomination. Instead, he's watched Trump, a brash New York real estate mogul, display surprising strength with evangelical Christians and social conservatives.

Republicans spent months largely letting Trump go unchallenged, wrongly assuming that his populist appeal with voters would fizzle. Instead, he's appeared to only grow stronger, winning states and drawing broad support for some of his most controversial proposals.

In six of the states on Tuesday, large majorities of Republican voters said they supported a proposal to temporarily ban all non-citizen Muslims from entering the United States, an idea championed by Trump. Two-thirds of GOP voters in Texas, Virginia and Georgia, 7 in 10 in Tennessee, and nearly 8 in 10 in Alabama supported the proposal, according to the early exit polls.

Worries among Republicans appeared to grow after Trump briefly refused to disavow former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke during a television interview. Trump later said he had not understood the interviewer who first raised the question about Duke, and he did repudiate him.

House Speaker Paul Ryan said Tuesday that anyone who wants to be the Republican presidential nominee must reject any racist group or individual

In the Democratic race, Clinton has steadied herself after an unexpectedly strong early challenge from Sanders. The Vermont senator did carry his home state decisively, and told the crowd at a raucous victory party that he was "so proud to bring Vermont values all across this country."

Sanders, who has energized supporters with his calls for a "political revolution," has struggled to expand his base beyond young people and liberals. His weakness with black voters, a core part of the Democratic constituency, has been particularly acute and was underscored again on Super Tuesday.

Clinton led with African-Americans, as well as both men and women, in Georgia and Virginia, according to surveys conducted by Edison Research for The Associated Press and television networks. Sanders continued to show strength with young voters, carrying the majority of those under the age of 30.

Colvin reported from Palm Beach, Florida. AP writer Julie Bykowicz in Washington and Ken Thomas in Burlington, Vermont, contributed to this report.

Following a strong night of victories for Trump, Trump called Rubio a "lightweight." Rubio called Trump a "con artist," while Cruz called on Rubio to drop out of the race.

Republican businessman Donald Trump, who won at least six states in Tuesday's presidential primary elections, took aim at Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio in an election night press conference in Florida.

Trump cited broadcast networks calling Rubio "the big loser of the night."

"Which is true, he didn't win anything," Trump said.

Rubio has recently started attacking Trump on the campaign trail. "I liked Marco until he decided to go hostile, become Don Rickles, but Don Rickles has a lot more talent," Trump said, referring to a comedian known for his insults. "Someone told him you're losing badly the only way you can possibly win is take a Hail Mary, go hostile. It's hurt him." Trump called Rubio "a lightweight."

Rubio, speaking to reporters earlier in the day, repeated his characterization of Trump as a "con artist."

Trump had a strong night on Super Tuesday, winning multiple states including Massachusetts. Although Trump has polarized the Republican Party with divisive comments about Mexicans, Muslims and others, Trump said he will unite, not divide, the party. He cited his large margins of victory in various states.

"Were going to be more inclusive, more unified, we're going to be a much bigger party," Trump said.

Trump pivoted toward the general election, attacking Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton.

"Once we get all of this finished, I'm going to go for Hillary Clinton, on the assumption she's allowed to run," Trump said.

Trump said he doubted Clinton would be allowed to run because of her handling of sensitive information on a personal email server. "What she did was a criminal act. If she's allowed to run, it would be a sad day for this country," Trump said.

In a lengthy press conference, Trump took several questions from reporters. He reiterated his policy positions on addressing America's trade deficit; building a wall on the Mexican border; lowering taxes on businesses and the middle class; and strengthening the military.

In response to questions, Trump repeated his views that Planned Parenthood has helped millions of Americans, but he would defund it as long as it continues to provide abortions. He said he has disavowed Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke's support. He defended his plan to get Mexico to pay for a border wall.

Trump's rivals have been attacking him as Trump is emerging as the clear GOP frontrunner.

In an election night speech in Miami, Rubio criticized Trump's foreign policy and health care policy. Rubio said he believes in free enterprise and, unlike Trump, "I didn't inherit $100 million."

Speaking to reporters earlier in the day, Rubio tried to portray himself, rather than Cruz as the primary alternative to Trump.

Cruz responded, in his election night speech in Texas, that his is the only campaign that has beaten Trump three times, including an early victory in Iowa and victories on Tuesday in Texas and Oklahoma.

Cruz asked the other candidates to drop out. "So long as the field remains divided, Donald Trump's path to the nomination remains more likely, and that would be a disaster for Republicans, for conservatives and for the nation," Cruz said.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich has said he will only drop out of the Republican race if he does not win his home state of Ohio on March 15.

Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson also remains in the race.

U.S. District Judge Mark G. Mastroianni sentenced 73-year-old Jeffrey Eldred Gallagher to three years in prison for an illegal investment scheme from around 2008 to 2012.

SPRINGFIELD — A former Western Massachusetts resident has been sentenced to prison for fleecing friends and associates in a $600,000 fraud scheme that turned out to be 100 percent bogus, according to federal authorities.

U.S. District Judge Mark G. Mastroianni sentenced 73-year-old Jeffrey Eldred Gallagher, formerly of Agawam and currently of Bradenton Beach, Florida, to three years in prison for an investment scheme he ran from from around 2008 to 2012.

In December 2015, Gallagher pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, two counts of tax evasion, and three counts of engaging in a monetary transaction. His sentencing was put off until February.

The sentence handed down Tuesday by Mastroianni in U.S. District Court in Springfield was reminiscent of Gallagher's 1989 conviction on fraud charges for illegal and unauthorized options trading as a stockbroker. For that federal crime, Gallagher lost his stockbroker's license and was sentenced to 15 months in prison for defrauding clients and his former employer.

In Gallagher's latest scheme, he persuaded friends and associates to pay him money to invest on their behalf, making promises that their investments would yield returns of 10 to 15 percent, according to prosecutors.

In classic Ponzi scheme fashion, Gallagher commingled investor funds with his own personal money, paying some investors with funds given to him by other investors. When investors asked Gallagher for the return of their investments, he provided numerous phony excuses about why he couldn't immediately repay them – including claiming that his mother had died. In reality, though, Gallagher's mother is still alive, according to prosecutors.

In a similar effort to stall for time, authorities said, Gallagher wrote investors more than 40 bad checks totaling almost $1.8 million.

All told, nearly two dozen investors lost a total of $617,475. Gallagher used nearly $250,000 of investors' money for personal benefit in 2009 and 2010, failing to report any of this income on his federal income tax returns for those years, prosecutors said.

Mastroianni characterized Gallagher's actions as "very serious" crimes that involved the "betrayal of friendships and a breach of trust among friends."

The case was prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz's office and investigated by the Boston offices of the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service.

Hillary Clinton won the Democratic presidential primary decision in Holyoke Tuesday over Bernie Sanders 49.4 percent to nearly 49 percent while Donald Trump easily bested John Kasich, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz for the Republican victory.

HOLYOKE -- Holyokers chose Hillary Clinton by 48 votes over Bernie Sanders in the Massachusetts Democratic presidential primary election Tuesday, 3,158-3,110.

On the Republican side, business mogul Donald Trump mirrored his roll in other Super Tuesday primaries around the country, scoring 866 votes to the 323 compiled by the next highest vote-getter in the GOP primary here, Ohio Gov. John R. Kasich.

The Clinton and Trump results here could foreshadow a clash between the two heavyweights in the national election Nov. 8.

The voter turnout was more than 33 percent, with 8,292 of the 25,087 registered voters participating in the state's primary election, City Clerk Brenna Murphy McGee said.

Clinton, the former U.S. secretary of state and U.S. Senator from New York, took 49.4 percent of the Democratic vote in Holyoke. That was compared to nearly 49 percent for Bernie Sanders, the socialist U.S. Senator from neighboring Vermont.

Holyoke Mayor Alex B. Morse, who endorsed Clinton, said he was proud of her campaign and said she would support small cities like Holyoke.

"She will be a strong partner to mayors and cities and help us as we move Holyoke forward. I was happy to see the excitement among Holyokers for whoever their preferred candidate was," Morse said.

"Secretary Clinton's grasp of issues important to Holyoke - rebuilding the middle class, creating good jobs, fighting the opioid crisis, and supporting criminal justice reform, helped propel her to victory in Holyoke. I look forward to working to unite our city to ensure that we elect a president in November that will build on the progress of President Obama," he said.

Jossie M. Valentin, the Ward 4 representative on the Holyoke City Council, supported Sanders and was asked by his campaign to introduce him at a rally Feb. 22 at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. A second-place finish by only 48 votes for Sanders in a city whose mayor endorsed Clinton is a "huge deal," Valentin said.

"I'm extremely proud of the work we did in the city of Holyoke for the Bernie Sanders campaign. This was a grassroots movement since day one and will continue to be just that," Valentin said.

Asked about Sanders' appeal to Holyokers, Valentin cited her UMass speech.

"When folks ask me why I support Bernie, four key words come to mind -- consistency, integrity, transparency and humanity. These are qualities that come up often when I am having conversations with other Bernie supporters, and to me they describe why Bernie is not a 'business as usual politician.' Bernie does not always take the popular, ;easy' route. I respect that tremendously and I can identify with it too," Valentin said.

Clinton won or was leading in Massachusetts, Georgia, Virginia, Alabama, Tennessee, Texas and Arkansas in primary voting Tuesday.

Sanders won in his home state of Vermont and won or was leading in Oklahoma, Minnesota and Colorado.

Trump won or was leading in Massachusetts, Vermont, Georgia, Virginia, Alabama, Tennessee and Arkansas.

Holyoke City Clerk Brenna Murphy McGee, center, watches results of the Massachusetts presidential primary election come in at City Hall Tuesday with Suzanne Mead, assistant registrar of voters, left, and Assistant City Clerk Irma Lopez, right.MIKE PLAISANCE / THE REPUBLICAN 

Here are the Holyoke presidential primary election results:

Democrat:

• Hillary Clinton, 3158


• Bernie Sanders, 3,110


• Martin O'Malley, 40


• Roque De La Fuente, 18

Republican:




• Donald J. Tump, 866


• John R. Kasich, 323


• Marco Rubio, 268


• Ted Cruz, 242


• Ben Carson, 76


• Jeb Bush, 16


• Rand Paul, 7


• Chris Christie, 7


• Jim Gilmore, 5


• George Pataki, 4


• Mike Huckabee, 3


• Carly Fiorina, 0
• 
  
• Rick Santorum, 0

• Holyoke presidential primary election results:

Hillary Clinton eked out a tight victory over Bernie Sanders in Massachusetts' Democratic presidential primary Tuesday, adding the state to the list of several others she picked up on so-called "Super Tuesday."

UPDATE, 12:51 a.m., March 2:: With 95.31 percent of precincts reporting, Clinton had 578,710 votes (50.3 percent) to Sanders' 558,293 (48.52 percent).

UPDATE, 11:47 p.m.: The Associated Press has called the race for Clinton. With 91 percent of precincts reporting, she led by 555,179 votes (50.53 percent) to Sanders' 530,516 votes (48.29 percent).

Hillary Clinton eked out a tight victory over Bernie Sanders in Massachusetts' Democratic presidential primary Tuesday, adding the state to the list of several others she picked up on so-called "Super Tuesday."

The former secretary of state, who took a last-minute swing through the state on Monday, led Sanders by a 50.6-48.2 percentage point margin with about 89 percent of precincts reporting at 11:35 p.m. The Associated Press had not called the race, but the Washington Post and several TV news organizations declared Clinton the winner. Her win came despite the Vermont senator's focus on Massachusetts – particularly the western portion of the state – in recent months. Sanders did win three of the four Western Massachusetts counties, but lost Hampden County, where Clinton scored a decisive 60-38 percentage point win.

Despite losing to Sanders in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary, Clinton's campaign has seen momentum in recent primary contests, winning South Carolina and Nevada. Adding to her campaign's momentum, the former first lady won Super Tuesday contests in Virginia, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas and Arkansas, among others.

Polls heading into Tuesday placed the Democratic rivals essentially tied in Massachusetts, where a total of 116 delegates are at stake.

Of those delegates, Clinton and Sanders will compete for 25 unpledged delegates, or "super delegates," who can choose who they support despite the results of Massachusetts' primary.

Many of the state's unpledged delegates, including Democratic National Committee members, the state's Democratic U.S. House and Senate lawmakers and distinguished party leaders, however, have already come out in support of Clinton.

Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse, who endorsed her run, said he believes winning Massachusetts is big for Clinton's campaign, particularly with all the campaigning her opponent did in the state. Demographically, he added, the state was poised to favor the Vermont senator given his primary wins in other New England states.

"Given all of those things, the fact that Secretary Clinton was able to both carry southern states and now carry states like Massachusetts I think sends a strong message that she's the most viable general election candidate that we have," he said in an interview.

Although Clinton won Holyoke by just 48 votes, Morse said he wasn't surprised by the outcome.

"Given the passion among the supporters, I think the campaign thought it would be very close in Holyoke and we did whatever we could over the last two weeks to make sure that she won Holyoke and I'm proud of that," he said.

The former secretary of state, who won Massachusetts over then-U.S. Sen. Barack Obama in 2008, stopped in Springfield and Boston the day before the election to make a final appeal to Bay State voters.

Her husband, former President Bill Clinton, also campaigned throughout the state on Super Tuesday.

Sanders, meanwhile, stopped in Milton for a last-minute rally on Monday. The event came one week after his campaign stopped at the University of Massachusetts Amherst for the second time of the election season.

Hillman, who formerly served as commander of the Mass. State Police as is now a criminal justice professor at Mount Wachusett Community College, said winning the Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire & Middlesex District state committee seat was made easier with key endorsements. Those included Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito

Former State Rep. Reed V. Hillman's return to politics was a romp as he swept to an easy victory to claim a seat on the Republican State Committee.

Hillman defeated incumbent William Gillmeister, unofficial results show.

Hillman, who formerly served as commander of the Massachusetts State Police and is now a criminal justice professor at Mount Wachusett Community College, said winning the Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire & Middlesex District state committee seat was made easier with key endorsements. Those included Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito.

"It was a real pleasure to run for State Committee, and also to have the support of Governor Baker and Lieutenant Governor Polito," Hillman said in a statement.

"We are very proud that we ran a positive and issues oriented campaign and we are very grateful for the volunteers who put us over the top," the Sturbridge Republican said.

"We look forward to ... build a bigger and better Republican Party, believing that a vibrant two-party system benefits all of the state's residents," Hillman said.

In defeat, Gillmeister said: "I fought a tough race, but it just wasn't enough to get over the top. Now that this is all over, we will need to come together in unity and get behind our candidates for 2016, which by tonight's results, is looking more and more like we'll be rallying behind Mr. Trump or possibly Mr. Cruz for our presidential nominee."

The committee district includes Brimfield, Holland, Monson, Palmer and Wales in Hampden County; Ware in Hampshire County; Ashburnham, Athol, Barre, Brookfield, Charlton, East Brookfield, Hardwick, Hubbardston, New Braintree, North Brookfield, Oakham, Paxton, Petersham, Phillipston, Rutland, Spencer, Sturbridge, Templeton, Warren, West Brookfield and Winchendon in Worcester County and Ashby in Middlesex County.

Astronaut Scott Kelly returned to Earth on Wednesday after an unprecedented year in space for NASA, landing in barren Kazakhstan with a Russian cosmonaut who shared his whole space station journey.

CAPE CANAVERAL, -- Astronaut Scott Kelly returned to Earth on Wednesday after an unprecedented year in space for NASA, landing in barren Kazakhstan with a Russian cosmonaut who shared his whole space station journey.

Their Soyuz capsule parachuted onto the central Asian steppes and ended a science-rich mission at the International Space Station that began last March and was deemed a steppingstone to Mars.

It was a triumphant homecoming for Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko after 340 days in space. They checked out of the space station 31/2 hours earlier. As their Soyuz undocked, calls of "Godspeed" filled the Twitterverse.

The pair traveled 144 million miles through space, circled the world 5,440 times and experienced 10,880 orbital sunrises and sunsets during the longest single spaceflight by an American. (Check out the gallery above for some amazing photos from the year in space.)

Kelly posted one last batch of sunrise photos Tuesday on Twitter, before quipping, "I gotta go!" His final tweet from orbit came several hours later: "The journey isn't over. Follow me as I rediscover # Earth!"

Piloting the Soyuz capsule home for Kelly, 52, and Kornienko, 55, was the much fresher and decade younger cosmonaut Sergey Volkov, whose space station stint lasted the typical six months.

Astronauts ready to leave space station after nearly a year in space (photos)

They were met by freezing temperatures, just like when they launched from Kazakhstan on March 27th last year.

The two yearlong spacemen faced a series of medical tests following touchdown. Before committing to even longer Mars missions, NASA wants to know the limits of the human body for a year, minus gravity.

As he relinquished command of the space station Monday, Kelly noted that he and Kornienko "have been up here for a really, really long time" and have been jokingly telling one another, "We did it!" and "We made it!"

"A year now seems longer than I thought it would be," Kelly confided a couple weeks ago.

Not quite a year -- 340 days to be precise, based on the Russian launch and landing schedule. But still record-smashing for NASA.

Kelly's closest U.S. contender trails him by 125 days. Russia continues to rule, however, when it comes to long-duration spaceflight. The world record of 438 days was set by a Russian doctor during the mid-1990s.

"A really smart person said to me one time, 'Teamwork makes the dreamwork in spaceflight,' and spaceflight is the biggest team sport there is," Kelly said Monday. He acknowledged each of the 13 U.S., Russian, European and Japanese space fliers with whom he and Kornienko lived during the past year. "It's incredibly important that we all work together to make what is seemingly impossible, possible."

For NASA, that mission possible is Mars.

Scientists are hoping for more one-year subjects as NASA gears up for human expeditions to Mars in the 2030s. Radiation will be a top challenge, along with the body and mind's durability on what will be a 21/2-year journey round trip.

The choice of the pioneering Kelly turned out to be a bonanza. His identical twin, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, offered himself up as a medical guinea pig so researchers could study the differences between the genetic doubles, one in space and the other on the ground. They provided blood, saliva and urine samples, underwent ultrasounds and bone scans, got flu shots and more, all in the name of science.

Once on the ground, Kelly and Kornienko split. Kelly heads to Houston with two flight surgeons and several other NASA reps, arriving late Wednesday night. That's where he'll be reunited with his two daughters, ages 21 and 12; his girlfriend, a NASA public affairs representative at Johnson Space Center; and his brother. Kornienko returns to his home in Star City, Russia, near Moscow, his wife, daughter and toddler grandson.

Kelly has spent more time in space, altogether, than any other American: 520 days over the course of four missions. Realizing this is likely his last journey, it was "a little bittersweet" saying goodbye to his orbiting home. He'll have plenty of pictures, at least, for the scrapbook -- he posted 1,000 dramatic, color-drenched pictures of Earth on his Twitter and Instagram accounts.

"What a ride he took us on!" fellow astronaut Reid Wiseman said in a tweet from Houston.

"Those of us who dream of sending astronauts to deep space thank Scott Kelly for his sacrifice," said Jim Green, director of planetary science for NASA, "and are thrilled to welcome him home."

After months of campaigning against each other, supporters of Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton's respective Democratic presidential campaigns came together in Holyoke late-Tuesday to watch the primary results pour in.

HOLYOKE — After months of campaigning against each other, supporters of Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton's respective Democratic presidential campaigns came together in Holyoke late Tuesday to watch the primary results pour in.

In an effort to unify the party ahead of November's general election, the Holyoke Democratic Committee hosted a Super Tuesday watch party for backers of both Sanders and Clinton at Brennan's Place.

Patricia Duffy, chair of the Holyoke Democratic Committee, said she decided to throw the event to underscore the similarities supporters of each candidate share, as opposed to their differences.

"It's clear to us that what unites us is far more important than what could possibly divide us," she said in an interview. "When we look over at the Republican side, I have concerns about the kind of arguments we've seen being thrown out there."

Duffy said although she supports Sanders and Holyoke Democratic Committee Treasurer and event co-host Ray Drewnowski backs Clinton, they both respect each other's candidates.

While she acknowledged that supporters on both sides of the Democratic race are "passionate" about their candidates, Duffy lauded Clinton and Sanders' focus on what she called "substantive issues" like health care and access to education.

"There's nothing wrong with a long, passionate primary fight, but we also want to start building the roots to come together in the fall," she said.

About 40 people showed up for the event, including Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse – an outspoken supporter of Clinton.

"I think this is a great opportunity for both Bernie Sanders supporters and Hillary Clinton supporters to come together and celebrate the enthusiasm we have for our respective candidates," he said.

Morse added that he looks forward to uniting the city behind whomever becomes the Democratic Party's presidential nominee.

Drewnowski said Democrats need to focus on beating the Republicans heading into November, as well as issues that are important to the party and help move the country forward.

"I'm constantly puzzled by Donald Trump's phrase 'make America great again,' I worry what does that mean and what is he referring to?" he said. "I'd rather focus on making America whole."

The Spirit of Springfield organizers gathered at the Sheraton Springfield Tuesday for the 25th Anniversary Appreciation Breakfast to recognize city employees, supporters and volunteers who were involved in the city's biggest and brightest holiday celebrations.

SPRINGFIELD — The Spirit of Springfield organizers gathered at the Sheraton Springfield Tuesday for the 25th Anniversary Appreciation Breakfast to recognize city employees, supporters and volunteers who were involved in the city's biggest and brightest holiday celebrations.

The Spirit of Springfield thanked their sponsors, supporters and volunteers who have supported the organization since its founding in December 1989.

Longtime supporters in attendance were retired Col. Ronald Senez, Peter Lappin, Peg Boxold, Elegant Affairs, Carol Delevo, Carols Concessions, Barbara Moffat, Western New England University, Tom Jenkins, GZA GeoEnvironmental, Matt Bannister, PeoplesBank, Bernadette White from the Shriner's Hospital for Children.

Organizers presented custom embroidered blue and white jackets to:

• Fred Christensen, CBRE-Tower Square


• Annette Scheidecker, CBRE-Tower Square


• Sgt. Sean Connor, Massachusetts Army National Guard


• Josephine Sarnelli, CPA and Small Planet Dancers


• Peter Garvey, Springfield Department of Capital Asset Construction


• Carolyn Jackson, Office of Mayor Dominic Sarno


• Mary Kay Wydra, Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau


• Tony Gleason, Gleason Johndrow Landscaping


• David Johndrow, Gleason Johndrow Landscaping


• Bill Metzger, Gleason Johndrow Landscaping


• James Vallides, 90 Meat Outlet

Numerous city employees were recognized and everyone in attendance received a commemorative book filled with information and photos. The Spirit of Springfield is a private, non-profit organization. For more information visit www.SpiritofSpringfield.org.

More than half of Randolph Lester's convictions have been for resisting arrest.

SPRINGFIELD - For a self-proclaimed minister, Randolph M. Lester has seen his share of arrests.

As of Monday, Lester has 88 criminal convictions -- more than half for resisting arrest, Assistant District Attorney Cary Szafranski noted during Lester's arraignment on a new resisting arrest charge.

Randolph Lester at the River Inn in Springfield during a September, 2011 interview.File photo / The Republican

Lester, 76, of Springfield was allegedly panhandling on Oak St. around 9 a.m. Monday when the trouble started.

When police spotted him, Lester was walking in traffic, knocking on widows of cars stopped at a red light, according to the arrest report.

He continued panhandling after being told he was endangering motorists and himself, Lt. Thomas Zarelli wrote in the report.

He "yelled at me that he didn't have to stop and that he was a minister," Zarelli said, adding the defendant has provoked "numerous complaints for his aggressive panhandling," many of which ended in his arrest.

The encounter on Oak Street ended with his arrest, too.

When Lester refused to leave the area, police arrested him; when he allegedly resisted, police used pepper spray rather than taking him to the ground "due to his age and physical condition," the report said.

He was charged with resisting arrest and panhandling in violation of a city ordinance.

In Springfield District Court, Szafranski asked for $1,000 bail, noting that the 88 convictions on Lester's record do not include panhandling offenses or charges that were dismissed, continued without a finding or converted to civil infractions.

Defense lawyer Daniel Bergin said the confrontation ended "promptly" after police arrived and no one was injured.

At that point, Lester spoke in his own defense.

"I'm a minister," he told Judge William Boyle.

The judge set bail at $500 and continued the case for a pretrial hearing on Friday.

"I'm a minister," Lester said again as court officers led him away.

Police have said that Lester -- known informally by many as "The Preacher" because he often wears a priest's collar -- is not known to be affiliated with any church.

Authorities were searching for a gold-colored Honda that the armed man entered after a disturbance in the area of Dickinson and Oakland streets.

SPRINGFIELD — Police issued a lookout for a Honda sedan whose occupants were reportedly involved in a disturbance on a school bus in the city's Forest Park neighborhood Wednesday afternoon.

The incident was reported at 4:37 p.m. in the area of Oakland and Dickinson streets, where the man reportedly threatened a school bus monitor with a gun after a disturbance involving students on the bus.

The suspect, described as a 6-foot Hispanic man weighing around 240 pounds, got into a gold-colored Honda sedan driven by a woman, according to police, who were searching the lower Belmont Avenue area around Woodside and Leyfred terraces.

MAP showing approximate location of Forest Park disturbance:

After Tuesday's elections, candidates endorsed by Baker control 51 of 80 seats on the Republican State Committee.

Gov. Charlie Baker tried to reshape the Republican State Committee in his image. In large part, he succeeded.

After Tuesday's elections, candidates endorsed by Baker now control a majority, 51 of 80 seats, on the Republican State Committee, with the outcome of one race still unknown.

Baker made endorsements in 52 of 54 contested races for State Committee, which is the governing body of the Republican Party. Of those, 29 of his candidates won and 22 lost. But counting seats that were uncontested, Baker-endorsed candidates now hold 51 seats.

The body sets the party platform and determines how money is spent in electoral races - including Baker's 2018 re-election campaign.

"The governor is pleased with last night's results and grateful to everyone who ran for their sacrifice and commitment to strengthening the party," said Baker senior aide Jim Conroy. "He looks forward to working with the new committee to help elect Republicans up and down the ticket."

Baker's endorsements - and his raising of at least $300,000 to help these candidates, according to a Boston Globe report - came amid a growing divide within the state GOP. A 2014 debate over whether to add language to the party platform opposing abortion and gay marriage highlighted differences between social conservatives and social moderates, many of whom urged the party to focus only on fiscal and limited government issues. Several state committee members said they saw Baker's push as an attempt to seed the party with moderates, like himself, as well as with people committed to having a more inclusive party. Baker said he supported candidates who helped him and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito in their campaigns.

Baker also supported a large number of state employees, drawing criticism from those who noted that state employees are barred from doing any political fundraising.

In Western Massachusetts, Reed Hillman won a seat with Baker's endorsement, defeating incumbent William Gillmeister, who is one of the party's more conservative members.

"I think it's in everyone's interest to have a big tent Republican Party," Hillman said.

Gillmeister declined to comment.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's statewide field director, Bonnie Johnson, was among those who lost a State Committee race to a Baker-backed candidate. So was Mary Lou Daxland, of Westport, who is president of the Massachusetts Republican Assembly, a group that represents the conservative wing of the state Republican Party.

Nancy Stanton-Cross, who defeated Daxland, said she thinks it is "a positive move forward" to have new members of the board with "some different views and some fresh faces." Stanton-Cross, who considers herself a moderate Republican, said she looks forward to helping craft the party platform and supporting Baker's vision for the state.

Daxland said she was targeted with five mailers as well as robocalls in her district supporting Stanton-Cross. She is unhappy that Baker put his attention and money into swaying Republican State Committee races rather than winning seats in the State House. In special House elections on Tuesday, Democrats held on to a seat in Fitchburg and picked up a seat that had been held by a Republican in Peabody. Republicans did not field a candidate for an open seat in Brockton.

"Since Gov. Baker has been governor, we lost two of three special elections, because he's too worried about focusing on the 80-seat state committee," Daxland said. "Why wasn't that money funneled to help those two Republicans win their seats at the Statehouse?" (A Democrat also won a state Senate election in Plymouth and Bristol counties in November.)

Daxland noted that although Baker-endorsed candidates picked up some seats, they also had significant losses. In Western Massachusetts, most of the more conservative Republicans running kept their seats, including Mark and Marie Bergeron and Deb Martel, none of whom got Baker's endorsement.

Daxland worries that with Baker's chosen candidates on the board, there will be less money given to local candidates for selectmen and school committee and more money going to the governor's race.

"He wants control of the state committee so he gets the funding for his next run for governor," Daxland said.

Alex Sherman, of Springfield, who did not receive Baker's endorsement and lost a race for the committee, also noted the two state representative losses.

"In the end, Charlie Baker establishment versus non-establishment, whoever wins, the Republican Party lost last night," Sherman said. "We should be as a party focusing on winning seats in government, not on internal squabbles in the state committee."

MassGOP Chairwoman Kirsten Hughes released a statement Wednesday saying that the unprecedented interest in the Republican State Committee races "speaks to the strength and energy in our party."

"I look forward to working with the state committee as we build our party by supporting Gov. Baker's agenda and electing Republican candidates up and down the ticket," Hughes said.

Yesenia Diaz, friend of Yasmin Marin, said Ana Mercedes Franceschi called the two of them whores the night before Marin was killed by Franceschi's SUV in Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD — Retired Springfield police officer Edward Laviolette testified on Wednesday that Yasmin Marin was dragged under Ana Mercedes Franceschi's SUV for 36 feet before she finally came to rest.

Laviolette, who was allowed by Hampden Superior Court Judge David Ricciardone to give his opinion as an expert in accident investigation, said the fact the vehicle ran over Marin indicated Franceschi did not brake.

Franceschi, of Springfield, faces a murder charge for allegedly using her SUV to strike and kill the 32-year-old Marin on Feb. 18, 2013. In addition to murder, Franceschi is charged with armed assault with intent to murder. That charge relates to Marin's 14-year-old daughter, who was walking with Marin.

Laviolette, who investigated the collision, said he saw no signs in the road of braking by Franceschi, 42. The 12:15 p.m. collision happened on Main Street in the North End near Jefferson Avenue.

One of the officers first to respond had testified previously the 32-year-old Marin was breathing with difficulty when he reached her, then appeared to stop breathing.

Defense lawyer Jared Olanoff began his cross-examination of Laviolette late Wednesday and will continue Thursday.

Olanoff, in pretrial motions, had fought letting Laviolette testify about his opinions, saying Laviolette had no scientific backing for them.

A large portion of the trial on Wednesday was the testimony of Yesenia Diaz, a close friend of Marin who was with her when she was killed as well as the night before, when she said trouble started between Franceschi and Marin.

Olanoff argued in his opening statement Marin jumped out in front of Franceschi's SUV to confront her about damage to Marin's car the night before and Franceschi did not have time to stop. He said the reason she never stopped after hitting Marin was because she was in shock and had her 8-year-old daughter with her.

Franceschi called police when she got home, saying she thought she hit someone.

Forsyth said in his opening statement Franceschi purposely hit Marin, who she saw as causing trouble between her (Franceschi) and her boyfriend.

Diaz testified Wednesday she and Marin were in Rosario's Market on the evening of Feb. 17, 2013, to see Marin's boyfriend, the cousin of the store owner.

The store owner, known in the case only as Orlando, was Franceschi's boyfriend, she said. Diaz said Orlando and Franceschi were arguing, and Franceschi was giving her and Marin dirty looks and saying (in Spanish) they were "whores".

Franceschi left in anger, and there was a loud noise, Diaz said. Diaz and Marin left 15 minutes later.

The next morning, Diaz said, Marin saw her car was damaged, and with her 14-year-old daughter and Diaz, went to Rosario's Market to look for Orlando to talk about what happened to the car.

Diaz said Orlando wasn't at the market, so they went to another store to pass time. Then they decided to leave, but after they got out of the store, Marin saw Franceschi getting into her SUV.

She said they went to cross the street, and she and Marin's daughter had reached the sidewalk but Marin said she was going to stop Franceschi. She said Marin was standing in the road with her hand up as if she were trying to stop Franceschi.

Marin, who was testifying through a court interpreter, said she remembered events well when they happened, but was having trouble on the stand remembering the sequence of what happened.

Among the details about which she gave conflicting answers were the point at which she saw Franceschi's brake lights on and whether Franceschi's car stopped at any point.

Forsyth had her review the statement she gave to police when she said Franceschi's brake lights were off when she hit Marin.

Olanoff asked Diaz if Franceschi, in her fight with Orlando at the market, used the Spanish word for "whore" to refer to someone else, not Diaz and Marin. Diaz said Franceschi was referring to herself and Marin.

At different times during Olanoff's questioning, Diaz said her memory was confused now.

Guindon's body was taken to a funeral home in Agawam, where she spent the first few years of her life before moving to New Hampshire. Watch video

AGAWAM — The body of Ashley Guindon, the Virigina police officer killed in the line of duty, is now back in Western Massachusetts, where she was born and spent the opening years of life before moving to New Hampshire with her family.

A police motorcade escorted the hearse carrying the rookie cop's body from Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport to the Agawam Funeral Home, stopping traffic along the way. Similar to the motorcade that escorted the hearse carrying the body of Marine Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan through Springfield last July, people stopped in their tracks Wednesday to pay respect to Guindon as the procession made its way from Westfield to Agawam.

A funeral Mass is scheduled for Monday at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church in Springfield, where Guindon was born. Her family lived in Agawam for a few years before moving to Merrimack, New Hampshire.

Guindon, 28, was a newly sworn officer with the Prince William County Police Department. She was fatally shot while responding to a Feb. 27 domestic disturbance in Woodbridge, Virginia. It was her first night on the job, according to authorities, who identified and arrested 32-year-old Ronald Hamilton as the shooter.

Hamilton, an Army staff sergeant assigned to the Pentagon, is also accused of fatally shooting his 29-year-old wife, Crystal Hamilton, and injuring two other Prince William County police officers. The couple had been arguing all day Saturday at their home in Woodbridge, a suburb of Washington, D.C. But things escalated after Crystal called 911, prompting Hamilton to fatally shoot her, police said. He then opened fire on Guindon and the other responding officers, police said.

 

Guindon was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and had a master's degree in forensic science. She graduated from the police academy last year and trained with Prince William County police before taking a short leave of absence. Guindon returned to the department and was sworn in as an officer on Feb. 26, but she was killed the next night during her first tour of duty as a police officer.

Following Monday's funeral Mass in Springfield, Guindon will be buried with police honors at Saint Thomas the Apostle Cemetery in West Springfield. She will be buried next to her father, David Guindon, an Iraq war veteran who died with full military honors in August 2004.

Ashley was the only child of David and Sharon Nowak Guindon. Her uncle, Tom Guindon, is a detective with the West Springfield Police Department.