Cranston Police Revisiting 1994 Cold Case Murder

On Feb. 4 of 1994, a 29-year-old man was found dead floating in the waters of Narragansett Bay in Cranston wearing a white short-sleeve Ralph Lauren Polo shirt, blue jeans and black shoes.

Police determined that he had been beaten to death by the sea wall at the end of Ocean Avenue before he was tossed into Narragansett Bay like a bag of garbage.

He was last seen leaving his Vinton Street residence in Providence the night before at around 8 p.m. behind the wheel of his 1985 Dodge Colt two-door with Rhode Island license plates.

Police later found that car abandoned and burned on Route 6 in Johnston in the early morning hours.

His name was Chansay Sayavong and for 21 years, his killer has not faced justice.

While Sayavong’s terrible death was two decades ago, his friends and family haven’t stopped hurting. They haven’t forgotten.

Neither have members of the Cranston Police Department.

On Tuesday, Cranston Police Chief Col. Michael J. Winquist announced that the department ”has placed a renewed effort in reviewing cold case homicides” in Cranston.

With advances in technology, investigative resources and the power of social media, the men and women of the department who devote their lives to solving crimes here are hoping to uncover new clues in these long-cold cases.

“The families of the victims of unsolved homicides that occurred in the City of Cranston can be assured that regardless of time that may have passed since these heinous crimes occurred, we will continue to investigate these cases until the killers of their loved ones are brought to justice,” Winquist said. “We will continue to seek new leads and employ the latest investigative techniques and technology available today. All tips and leads received from the public will be fully investigated. No tip or lead should be considered inconsequential and can be submitted anonymously.”

In Sayavong’s case, police noted that he is believed to have been a gay man who frequented the Upstairs Bookstore, Snookers Bar and the Union Square Bar in Providence.

Police released a photo of Sayavong and hope that someone out there might remember something that could help them piece together what happened the night he was bludgeoned to death.

Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Michael Iacone of the Special Victims Unit at 401-477-5062 or visit the department’s Facebook page, or a page created under his name by police specifically for this investigation.