Mass. man dies by suicide as police serve warrant for child porn

A Princeton afterschool teacher died in an apparent suicide as police served a search warrant at his home to search for child porn, State Police said.  

John Buffington, 67, was an after-school instructor for the Town of Princeton Parks and Recreation Department, where he taught “woodworking, primitive skills, and kite-making,” State Police said in a press release Friday. He previously worked in Lincoln as an after-school instructor, the agency said.

Police received tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and obtained a search warrant to search Buffington’s home for sexual abuse material, State Police said. On Jan. 8, State Police, agents from the U.S. Secret Service Cyber Task Force, and officers from the Princeton Police Department attempted to serve the warrant, according to State Police.

“As officers announced themselves at the door, Mr. Buffington fled into a garage, where he subsequently died by apparent suicide,” State Police said.

Upon entering Buffington’s home, police found evidence of child abuse material, including sexually explicit photographs of at least one child who was known to Buffington, read the release. 

“While the investigation is in its preliminary stages, at this time, there is no apparent evidence that any child Mr. Buffington encountered has been harmed,” State Police said.

Princeton police and the Princeton Parks and Recreation Department both did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday evening.

State Police, the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office, and the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office will be working with local law enforcement to further investigate Buffington’s involvement. 

“Any family who has concerns about their child’s interaction with Mr. Buffington in Princeton should contact the Children’s Advocacy Center of Worcester County at 774-317-2132,” advised State Police.