On December 19, 2019, 47-year-old Julie Lynn Cardinal of Westerly, Rhode Island, was shot and killed while working as an office manager at the Babcock Village apartment complex. Two other women were injured in the same incident. The gunman, identified as 66-year-old resident Joseph Giachello, turned the gun on himself and died at the scene, so no arrest was made in connection with Julie’s death.

Julie was a mother of four and active in her community. She played a key role in the 2016 effort to allow women full membership at the Westerly Yacht Club and was remembered by friends and family as a fierce advocate, a hard worker, and someone who loved her children deeply. The community organized support for her family, including a GoFundMe and a celebration of her life at the yacht club.

The motive for the shooting remained under investigation. If anyone knew Julie, her work at Babcock Village, or the events that day, please share what might help clarify what happened.