Ryan D. Welch indicted on murder charge in Feb. 20 death

A Hampshire County Grand Jury has returned an indictment on one charge of murder against Ryan D. Welch, of Easthampton, in connection with the Feb. 20 death of Jessica Ann Pripstein in Easthampton.

Welch, 36, is expected to be arraigned on the murder charge in Hampshire Superior Court in Northampton, Friday, April 27 at 9 a.m.

Assistant District Attorney Jeremy Bucci is the lead prosecutor on the case.

The Office of Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan will be filing a statement of the case the morning of the arraignment.

Easthampton Police discovered Pripstein's body shortly after midnight on Monday, Feb. 20, following a 911 distress call placed by Pripstein.

Welch was found by the Easthampton Police at Pripstein’s apartment and was transported to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield for self-inflicted wounds.  He is currently held without the right to bail on a District Court complaint charging him with murder.

The defendant had a dating relationship with Pripstein.