Suvechha Sarkar
Amanda Plasse was a 20-year-old woman with a promising future. However, everything came crashing down in August 2011 when she was brutally killed in her home in Chicopee, Massachusetts. Her untimely demise left her loved ones and the detectives searching for answers for nearly 2 years. Investigation Discovery’s ‘On The Case with Paula Zahn: A Hidden Clue’ and ABC’s ’20/20: What the Killer Left Behind’ explore the circumstances and clues surrounding her murder, which eventually brought the killer to justice. It also features interviews with her mother, sister, and the detectives who focused on every detail to solve the case.
Amanda Plasse Was Found Dead From Stab Wounds in Her Apartment
On December 11, 1990, Amanda Plasse arrived as a bundle of joy in the lives of her mother, Michelle Mathieson, and her father. While growing up, their house had always been filled with love and laughter. Amanda was the middle child and was quite close with her older sister, AimeeLee Plasse, and her younger brother, Nicholas Plasse. Michelle described Amanda as a free spirit and “hippie child,” who was born in the wrong era. Reports state that, despite being an excellent student, she dropped out of Chicopee Comprehensive High School at just 16. However, she eventually earned a General Education Development (GED) certificate. Beyond that, Amanda was an incredible artist who enjoyed painting, tie-dying her shirts, and making jewelry.
Moreover, Amanda was an avid music lover, which led her to attend multiple music festivals. According to Michelle, Amanda wanted to be independent. Hence, she began working as a hostess and waitress at Applebee’s, and after serving there for 2 years, she joined the same position at Friendly’s around 2009. Michelle recalled that Amanda would often speak about traveling to Europe and always carried her camera. Her mother stated that she expected Amanda to pursue higher studies in photojournalism someday. By 2011, Amanda moved into her new apartment at 73 School Street in Chicopee, Massachusetts. However, her life came to a sudden halt on August 26, 2011. Around 6:45 pm, Amanda’s boyfriend, Seth Green, called 911 to report that he had returned home to find her lying in a pool of blood.
When officials rushed to the scene, they found Amanda dead on the kitchen floor. They noticed bloodstains across the cabinets, floor, and countertops, indicating a physical struggle. They found the apartment’s back door open, and a glass window was shattered from the inside. Forensic experts soon uncovered a palm print on the shattered glass and a bloody footprint near Amanda’s remains. The footprint was reportedly from a Nike running shoe, which they narrowed down to a men’s size 7 or women’s size 9. The autopsy reportedly revealed that she had sustained several blunt force injuries to the head, face, and shoulders and was stabbed multiple times in the chest, abdomen, and throat. They further discovered an unknown DNA under her fingernails. Amanda’s cause of death was reportedly determined to be the fatal stab wounds.
A Hidden Message Provided the Authorities With a Breakthrough in the Case
When officials first questioned Seth about his relationship with Amanda, he reportedly admitted they had been dating for just one week, during which he had driven her to work every day. According to official records, Seth informed them that he left Amanda’s apartment around 9 am that morning and didn’t provide her a ride to work since he had to work late that evening. In his statements, he said that when he visited her workplace and learned that she was late, he rushed to Amanda’s place, where he found her remains. Reports state that the detectives initially suspected Seth because he had left work several times to buy some items near the crime location. However, when his DNA, fingerprints, and shoe size were compared with those found at the scene, they reportedly did not match, eliminating him as the suspect.
As per court records, a witness came forward stating they had seen Amanda getting her mail around 4 pm, followed by a white sedan speeding away from her home around 4:30 pm. The officials further recovered a partial number of the vehicle registration plate from the witness. According to investigative reports, Amanda’s call record revealed that she had called a coworker named Mercedes around 4 pm on that fateful day. Reports state that during her questioning, Mercedes admitted she went to Amanda’s house to give her a ride, but emphasized that she allegedly never entered the home and later left for Walmart in her white sedan. Her statements were reportedly confirmed by a Walmart CCTV footage, ruling her out as a suspect. Police records indicate that detectives also looked into Amanda’s ex-boyfriend, Jesse.
Amanda’s sister, AimeeLee, and Seth had both told authorities that Amanda was allegedly upset with Jesse, according to reports. Court records specify that he was ruled out as a suspect when his cell phone data placed him far away from the crime scene around the time of the murder. The case reportedly stalled for about 2 years due to a lack of further leads. However, a breakthrough came when a detective working on the case found a picture of a whiteboard in Amanda’s bedroom. According to reports, the words “Dennis was here 8/11/11” were written on the board, with the date being around two weeks before the murder. The official records state that after cross-checking, the investigators found Dennis Rosa-Roman, who lived just a few blocks away from Amanda.
Officials Arrested the Killer Based on Inconsistent Statements and Forensic Evidence
Dennis reportedly had a criminal record and was arrested for breaking and entering. Investigative reports indicate that the detectives first met him on the street, and during his initial questioning, he denied knowing Amanda. During that meeting, officials reportedly collected a cigarette butt that Dennis threw away, which was reportedly sent for DNA testing. Shortly after, Dennis himself came in for questioning, where he claimed that although he knew Amanda because he had sold marijuana to her, he allegedly never went inside her home. According to investigative reports, when detectives showed Dennis the message on Amanda’s whiteboard, he changed his account and admitted that he had written it.
In his statements, Dennis confessed that he had gone to Amanda’s home on August 26, 2011, but insisted that he had heard her argue with another man and had allegedly witnessed the murder. Official records state that he claimed he didn’t call 911 because he was afraid of the consequences. As per police records, forensic experts soon determined that the DNA, footprint, and fingerprints found at the scene matched Dennis. Ultimately, he was arrested in November 2013 and was charged with first-degree murder. The jury trial of Dennis began on June 23, 2016, and he was convicted of first-degree murder on July 12, 2016. Right after, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
