Body found near Franklin Park course

Boston police are investigating the apparent homicide of an unidentified male whose body was found last night near the golf course at Franklin Park. Police received a report shortly after 9 p.m. that two males tossed what appeared to be a body from a brown car on Franklin Park Road. Investigators combed the scene late into the evening. A section of the park was cordoned off with yellow tape. Police are continuing to investigate, a department spokesman said.

A proposal to allow beer and wine sales in this Martha's Vineyard town fell short by two votes Friday, 692 to 690, after a recount of an April 15 referendum that had indicated a tie. Two new "no" votes were found after a closer look at 21 ballots that had registered as blank during the initial count, said Town Clerk Marion Mudge. The town has been dry since at least before Prohibition began in 1920. Four of the 12 towns that ban the sale of alcohol in Massachusetts are on Martha's Vineyard.

A 25-year-old Waltham man was killed Friday in a two-vehicle crash on Route 3 south near Exit 26 in Bedford. John Kendis, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from his car when he crossed over the median from the southbound lanes into the northbound lanes and crashed into a sedan at about 10 p.m., State Police said in a statement. The sedan's two passengers, Ryan Gochins, 23, and Nicole Sunderland, 20, and driver, Lauren Vigneau, 20, all of Burlington, were not injured.

Five people have been charged after a safe full of valuables was taken from a house where a 15-year-old girl invited friends while her parents were away. Police say the safe contained $100,000 in cash and jewelry. Court documents say one of the guests the girl invited over was 23-year-old Lee Humphrey of Shrewsbury. Humphrey allegedly insisted the girl show him around the house, including the master bedroom. The girl told police that she later went to another house on April 24 and that the safe, which was kept in the master bedroom, was gone when she got back. Humphrey was arraigned Monday on charges that include larceny. Police located the safe Thursday at a Worcester residence. Four others were arrested and charged with various roles in the theft, authorities said. (AP)

A suspect was being sought in the attempted abduction of a 6-year-old girl yesterday afternoon at a Fuddruckers restaurant inside the Jordan's Furniture complex, according to a police press release. A man allegedly approached the girl and offered her candy and money to put in a video game. After the girl refused, the suspect grabbed her hand, but the girl's father arrived and quickly intervened, police said. The suspect then fled back toward the furniture store. He is described as a white male, 30 to 35 years old, having curly light hair and a clean-shaven face, weighing about 165 pounds, standing about 5 feet 11 inches, and wearing a dark-colored Boston Red Sox World Champions 2007 cap. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 871-944-1212.

There's a mystery hanging on the wall at Portsmouth City Hall. The city recently had eight portraits of mayors from the late 1800s professionally restored and rehung in City Council chambers. The oil paintings were done by artist Nellie Horne in 1900 and 1901. One of them isn't labeled, and city officials don't know whom it depicts. They're hoping someone can help find out the identity of the dark-haired man with the lush mustache. (AP)

A man who died after being hit by a car in a parking lot had used his body to shield a friend from more serious injury, his sister said. Matthew Beaudoin, 29, of Nashua died late Friday night after suffering massive head injuries early that morning. Police say Ivonne Hernandez, 43, of Nashua drove into Beaudoin and another pedestrian after getting into an argument with them in a parking lot behind City Hall. The other pedestrian, a woman, had minor injuries. Beaudoin's sister, Faith, said she did not want to discuss details of the tragedy because it remains under investigation, but said her brother was a hero. Hernandez was charged with driving while intoxicated and two counts of reckless conduct. (AP)