Arts & Entertainment
Stolen Memorial for Late Musician Was Never Found
A memorial placed near the scene of Scott Ricciuti's fatal accident was stolen more than a year and a half ago. It was never recovered.
WORCESTER, MA — Friends were furious and concerned when a memorial erected in honor of musician James “Scott” Ricciuti was lifted from its location on the highway more than a year and a half ago.
There perhaps could have been no greater loss to the Central Massachusetts music scene than when Ricciuti, well-known guitarist, singer-songwriter, was killed in an early morning car accident on April 5, 2012.
Ricciuti, always the nicest guy in the room, was known for his former band Childhood, and more recently Huck, Preacher Roe, Pony for My Birthday and Pistol Whipped. At 48, he had also recently left his longtime job at a sign company to pursue music full-time. He had come into his element, as they say.
The accident, where Ricciuti apparently veered off of I-290 East in Boylston while heading to his home in Marlborough, devastated the community.
In addition to multiple memorial services and shows to honor and celebrate Ricciuti (which friends and former band members still organize), the many pals who missed him created and put up a memorial - a guitar made of metal with the likeness of Ricciuti painted on it - and displayed it near the crash scene on I-290 East just past the Church Street exit.
In early August, 2014, friend and Marlborough patrolman Patrick Hogan announced that the memorial had been stolen, confirming that it was last seen on Aug. 3 of that year. Hogan said it is also confirmed it was not removed by the DPW or any state agency.
“Officer Anthony Abdal Khabir of the Mass environmental Police realized it was missing,” said Hogan. “He called the DPW in charge of that stretch of road and they confirmed it was not taken down by them. There is no other conclusion but that it was stolen.”
Billy Claire, friend, musician and artist, painted the guitar memorial (which replaced an earlier wooden version that succumbed to the elements), as well as a rock on 495 in Marlborough. He confirmed this week that the memorial had never been located.
“It had Angry Tony’s contact info on the back and we had gotten it approved so we doubt that anyone official took it down,” said Claire. “Pat also checked with DPW in charge of that area of 290 and they had nothing, so someone must have stolen it. It is a very dangerous act, since there is nowhere to park a vehicle safely near there. It’s really sad that someone would steal it, although from the start I knew that as a work of art it was above what you normally see for roadside memorials, and I’m not totally surprised that it was taken.”
Anyone with information can call Officer Hogan at 774-245-1325.
Pictured is the memorial, created by Billy Claire.
