News Summary
In a tragic case, Aaron Parsons has been sentenced to 14 to 16 years in state prison for the manslaughter of Sarah Dorany, who died in a Boston hotel. Parsons met Dorany online and arranged a paid encounter, which ended in her death due to mechanical asphyxiation. The case has raised concerns about safety during online arrangements, affecting not just Dorany’s family but the broader community.
Boston – A Massachusetts judge last week sentenced 47-year-old Aaron Parsons to 14 to 16 years in state prison for the manslaughter of 29-year-old Sarah Dorany, who was found dead in a Boston hotel room in March 2020. This sentence followed Parsons’ guilty plea to one count of manslaughter and one count of engaging in sexual conduct for a fee.
According to the Suffolk District Attorney’s office, Parsons met Dorany online and arranged to pay her for sex. The two met for dinner at the Eastern Standard restaurant in Kenmore Square on March 11, 2020, before heading to the Verb Hotel in Boston, where they were later found in an unresponsive state.
On the evening of March 11, surveillance footage captured Parsons and Dorany entering the hotel at approximately 8:20 p.m. Dorany was discovered on the floor of the hotel room, naked and unresponsive, with a pillow covering her face. Investigators noted that the pillow had dark smudge marks consistent with makeup and was contoured around her face.
A suitcase containing men’s clothing, which had a sticker bearing Parsons’ name, was also located in the hotel room, adding further evidence to the case against him. Prosecutors assert that Dorany suffered from mechanical asphyxiation during her encounter with Parsons.
The hours following the crime show suspicious behavior on Parsons’ part. He was seen walking through the Hynes Convention Center MBTA station around 11:23 p.m. on the same night. Parsons returned to his apartment building in Revere shortly before midnight, where he stayed for about 20 minutes before leaving again. He returned to his residence just before 7 a.m. on March 12 and was later observed discarding his cellphone near Drydock Avenue in the Seaport district of Boston.
During a subsequent investigation, Parsons claimed that he had no memory of the events from the evening of March 11 until waking under a bridge in Cambridge on March 15. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that Dorany’s death resulted from mechanical asphyxiation, indicating a tragic ending to their meeting.
At the sentencing hearing, which took place via Zoom attended by Dorany’s family and friends, her sister described her as a “hero” and a “shining personality.” Dorany’s mother expressed the immense loss felt by many due to her untimely death. The prosecutors emphasized that the impact of this tragedy extends beyond Dorany’s family, affecting the broader community.
This case highlights significant concerns regarding safety and accountability surrounding encounters arranged through online platforms. The actions leading to Dorany’s death have prompted discussions on the importance of ensuring the safety of individuals engaging in such ventures.
With Parsons now on the way to serve his sentence, the case remains a poignant reminder of the dangers related to casual encounters and the vital importance of personal safety in such situations.
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Additional Resources
- Boston.com
- Wikipedia: Manslaughter
- NBC Boston
- Google Search: Sarah Dorany Boston hotel killing
- Boston Herald
- Google Scholar: Sarah Dorany case
- MassLive
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Manslaughter
- Fox23 Maine
- Google News: Boston hotel killing 2025
