Massachusetts woman who fled to Tennessee, sentenced to jail after unleashing thousands of bees on deputies in attempt to avoid eviction

A jury has returned a guilty verdict on most of the charges in the case of a Massachusetts woman following a dangerous incident during the enforcement of a court-ordered eviction in Longmeadow in October 2022.

According to the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office, Rebecca Rorie Woods was found guilty of four counts of simple Assault and Battery and two counts of reckless assault.

Associate District Court Justice Mary Beth Ogulewicz presided over the case and handed down a sentence of six months in jail, with credit for 148 days previously served. The trial took five days and was prosecuted by Assistant Hampden District Attorney Blake McConnell.

At approximately 9:15 a.m. on Oct. 12, 2022, Woods, a 59-year-old who previously lived in Hadley, drove into the driveway of a Longmeadow home towing a flatbed trailer carrying multiple manufactured beehives. As deputies with the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office Civil Process Division attempted to carry out the lawful eviction, Woods jumped from her vehicle and began attempting to unleash thousands of bees.

In the moments that followed, Woods smashed open hive boxes and flipped them from the trailer, releasing swarms of highly agitated bees into the area. Deputies and HCSO staff on scene were stung multiple times, including one who suffered stings to the face and head. Several members of the team were injured, and one staff member was transported to the hospital.

As she donned a beekeeper suit and moved additional hives toward the home, deputies moved in and placed her under arrest. During the arrest, she was heard directing another individual to care for her dog, which remained in her vehicle as bees swarmed the area.

When informed that some deputies were allergic to bees, Woods responded, “Oh, you’re allergic? Good.”

The HCSO stated that the incident not only put deputies at risk, but also endangered neighbors in the surrounding area—particularly those with severe allergies. Thousands of bees died during the chaotic scene.

The case drew further attention when Woods fled ahead of the first scheduled trial in August 2025. She was eventually found at a motel in Tennessee and taken into custody there, where she remained for over three months after refusing to waive extradition back to Massachusetts. Eventually, a Governor’s Warrant was issued, and she was returned to the Commonwealth, where she was placed in the custody of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.

“This was unlike anything our team has ever experienced,” said Sheriff Nick Cocchi. “Our deputies were carrying out a lawful court order and were met with a deliberate act that put lives in danger. We are grateful the jury recognized the seriousness of what occurred and the risk it posed to our staff and the community.”

Woods ultimately failed in her attempt to stop the eviction, which is a matter determined by the courts—not the Sheriff’s Office—and had been progressing through the legal system for several years at the Longmeadow home.

Even after this incident, the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office continued to offer assistance to those affected by the eviction. Through its All-Inclusive Support Services center in Springfield, the Office works to connect individuals with housing, employment, and support services—before, during, and after the eviction process.

“We don’t just show up to enforce an order—we try to help people through difficult situations,” Cocchi added. “That commitment doesn’t change, even in the face of something like this.”