And so the mystery remained unresolved. It began late last week, when New Media Investment Group, the company that had bought The Review-Journal as part of a package of newspapers for $102 million this year, announced it had sold the paper. A company called News + Media Capital Group L.L.C. paid $140 million for The Review-Journal, and some other assets, New Media said, a price seven times adjusted earnings and very generous for a newspaper that is fighting steep, industrywide declines.

It was not clear precisely who is behind the company, which was very recently incorporated.

A subsequent article on the website of The Review-Journal about the sale last week was edited after it was published to remove references to the buyer’s identity being unknown. The paper’s publisher, Jason Taylor, speaking to reporters in the break room on Friday, defended the decision, but his answers did not appear to placate the staff.

News + Media Capital Group was incorporated in Delaware on Sept. 21, according to its certificate of formation. Named on the documents is Michael Schroeder, described as a manager of the company. Mr. Schroeder, a Connecticut resident, is also chief executive, editor and publisher of The New Britain Herald and The Bristol Press, among other local publications.

Reached at his office Monday, he was willing to talk about the state of the newspaper industry, but declined to comment on the identity of the buyer or buyers, or discuss anything else about the situation at The Review-Journal.

The paper will continue to be managed by Gatehouse Media, a subsidiary of New Media Investment Group. All but the company’s most senior executives and those most directly involved with the paper are unaware of the new owner’s identity, said a person with knowledge of the matter.