Lawyer: Baruffaldi to be interred soon

LYNNFIELD – Lynnfield veterinarian Joan Baruffaldi’s body remains at a Somerville funeral home while authorities re-examine the circumstances surrounding her November death in the U.S. Virgin Islands, but an attorney for the family said Thursday the woman will soon go to her final resting place.”This has been really tough on the family,” said attorney Donald McNamee, representing the Baruffaldi family, which has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the dead woman’s widower, Robert Harris.The Baruffaldi family has alleged Harris murdered his wife in their Caribbean hotel room and then tried to make it look like suicide. Harris told police in the Virgin Islands that Baruffaldi was despondent and hung herself with a bathrobe belt from the bathroom shower rod.A Superior Court judge ordered that the cremation of Baruffaldi’s body be halted and appointed a special counsel, David W. Eppley, to review the facts of the case and determine if a second autopsy is needed. The first autopsy, conducted in the Virgin Islands, concluded Baruffaldi’s death was a suicide.”Things are progressing toward getting this woman to her resting place,” McNamee said Thursday, adding that Eppley “is doing a terrific job” in sorting through the legalities.Harris stands to inherit millions of dollars in real estate and other assets from his wife’s estate.The couple lived at 29 Robin Road, but during the month preceding her death, Baruffaldi, 45, had contacted Lynnfield police and asked that Harris be removed from the premises because he allegedly raped her on two occasions and made death threats.Mary Elizabeth Baruffaldi said she urged her sister not to travel to the Caribbean with Harris.Although the Baruffaldi family had hoped to hire Dr. Michael Baden, former chief medical examiner for New York City and host of the HBO television series “Autopsy,” Harris’ attorney, Kevin Reddington, was opposed.”I can tell you that Dr. Baden is no longer in the picture,” said McNamee, adding that Eppley has been searching for a forensic pathologist who can perform the autopsy without conflict of interest. “Everything is progressing nicely,” he said.Harris, 47, has maintained his innocence.Baruffaldi’s body was brought to the George Doherty Funeral Home in Somerville upon its return to the United States in early November. Until her death, she owned and operated the North Reading Veterinary Clinic. The Virgin Islands trip was booked so that she could attend a conference for veterinarians and obtain necessary recertifications.