Crime
The man killed the two brothers outside of the former Diamond Inn on Grafton Street in Worcester, according to prosecutors.
A man was convicted Tuesday of murdering two Worcester brothers in what prosecutors called “a case of mistaken identity.”
Christopher Burns, 42, was found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Marcus Thibodeau, 27, and James Johnson, 35, in 2021, the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office said in a press release.
On Dec. 8, 2021, Burns fatally shot Thibodeau and Johnson outside of the former Diamond Inn on Grafton Street in Worcester. In April 2022, he was charged, arraigned, and ordered held without bail in Worcester District Court, according to prosecutors.
Burns was indicted by a Worcester County grand jury in September 2022, the DA’s office said. He is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date.
Evidence presented during Burns’ trial established that he wrongfully targeted Thibodeau and Johnson in a case of mistaken identity. Neither of the brothers had any prior connection to or interactions with Burns, prosecutors said.
“This verdict is the result of years of dedicated work by the investigators and prosecutors committed to seeking justice for the victims and their family,” Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. said. “I want to thank the Worcester Police Department and Assistant District Attorneys Timothy Westerman and Michael Travers, as well as Victim Witness Advocate Maria Deyette for their tireless efforts in bringing this case to a successful conclusion.”
Burns’ attorneys, Kevin Larson and Shane Surrette, were not available to respond to requests for comment Wednesday night.
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