Despite making headlines for breaking open the Brown University shooter case, Providence’s own “John Doe” is keeping his own story off the front pages.
John Does Appears, and Disappears
Using the same Reddit account that pointed investigators towards a rental car the gunman allegedly drove to campus, “John” told the r/providence community last week he would not be publicly speaking anymore. City and police spokespeople told The Providence Eye they will not be releasing any information about the now-famous tipster. Without verification from John Doe, reports the source is homeless or getting taken care of by the federal government could not be independently verified by the Eye.
Mayor Smiley told CNN that the key anonymous source in the investigation, “John Doe”, is a “Brown grad,” and Fox News, the Boston Herald and WPRI reported he is homeless. Fox News cited a source claiming John was living inside of the Barrus and Holley building where the shooter opened fire on Saturday evening.
According to the police affidavit, the source referred to as “John Doe” first encountered suspected gunman Claudio Manuel Neves Valente in a Barus and Holley ground floor bathroom about two hours before the shooting occurred. After noticing Valente’s suspicious clothing, John followed him up Manning Street towards the Rhode Island Historical Society. As John approached, Valente unlocked a Nissan with Florida plates and briskly walked away. John told the police he yelled out saying, “Your car is back there, why are you circling the block?
“I don’t know you from nobody,” said Valente, according to John’s testimony. ‘Why are you harassing me?”
On Reddit, John wrote he was coming back to College Hill from downtown when he saw the sirens responding to the shooting. The city chilled overnight as news spread that a gunman killed two students and seriously wounded nine others studying for a final exam. By the morning, snow blanketed Providence, and authorities were asking the public to come forward with clues.
Two days later , John Doe would make his first Reddit post sharing his odd run-in with Valente. He insisted the police check for the Nissan, saying it was “possibly a rental.” That comment, which now has over 1,400 upvotes, caught the eye of Providence police. On December 17, John approached police to offer his account.
The information quickly put investigators on Valente’s tail, and the anonymous Reddit user began to receive widespread praise from officials for his cooperation.
“He blew this case right open,” said Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha.
The Mayor Acknowledges John Doe’s Help
John Doe’s tip appeared on a post sharing a bulletin from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The poster shows pictures of a person of interest and promises “$50,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the individual responsible for this shooting.” After Valente was found killed and connected with another murder in the area, the FBI’s own representative on the case appeared to support the idea of awarding John for his tip.
“I don’t deal typically with the distribution of those rewards,” said Special Agent Ted Docks. “But I mean it would be logical to think that absolutely that individual would be entitled to some of that reward.”
Mayor Smiley wrote a letter imploring the FBI to award the prize to John, but it remains unclear if that prize will be awarded.
“As of this moment, we have not received any updates from the FBI after sending that letter on Friday,” said city spokesperson Josh Estrella in an email on Monday December 21.
The New York Post published an article claiming John “is being taken care of at the federal level… in a hotel, being fed,” according to an unnamed source. However, Providence’s most notable anonymous source has not posted updates regarding awards or his status after speaking with the police.
“Respectfully, I have said all I have to say on the matter to the right people,” wrote John Doe in his most recent Reddit post. “Hopefully you all are able to enjoy the holidays with your family and loved ones, but if you are not, may the following days treat you kindly.”
What Would Have Happened Without Him?
Social media spread misinformation about the Brown University shooting, and authorities warned against disseminating “creepy, weird plot ideas” based on unfounded speculation. Without verification from officials or John Doe, rumors of his personal details remain unconfirmed.
However, the Providence subreddit overwhelmingly expressed their gratitude for the unnamed source that provided clues to a city desperately looking for answers.
“The state of Rhode Island, the students at Brown, the family of everyone involved [and] much of New England can breathe a sigh of relief knowing this individual can no longer inflict any pain,” said one of more than 400 comments of his post. “You truly helped close this case.”
Eric Halvarson is a multimedia journalist based in Providence, Rhode Island.
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