Crime
The man, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and attempted rape, has been serving a life sentence since 1997.
The Massachusetts Parole Board, who voted Thursday to release Lockhart, met here during a January hearing. David L Ryan/The Boston Globe
July 26, 2026 | 9:12 AM
2 minutes to read
A man serving a life sentence for sexually assaulting and murdering a 17-year-old girl in Framingham nearly three decades ago was granted parole.
The Massachusetts Parole Board voted 4-2 Thursday to release Damien Lockhart, who pleaded guilty in September 1997 to second-degree murder and attempted rape, according to a ruling. The board made its decision following a review hearing in March.
Lockhart sexually assaulted and murdered a 17-year-old girl in August 1996, officials said. Her body was found near a railroad dirt access road with seven blows to her head and face, cuts and bruises on her hands consistent with defensive wounds, and evidence of sexual assault.
Investigators matched the victim’s blood to blood found on Lockhart’s shorts, and footprints at the crime scene matched the tread of his sneakers. Eyewitnesses also reported seeing Lockhart with the victim near the time and place of the murder, according to the parole board.
Lockhart was arrested for the murder after being questioned at the Framingham Police Department. Following his guilty plea, he was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for the murder alongside a term of nine to 12 years for attempted rape, officials said. These sentences were ordered to run consecutively to an unrelated armed robbery sentence he was already serving.
Prior to the board’s decision Thursday, Lockhart was denied parole after an initial hearing in 2013 and after review hearings in 2018, 2023, and 2025. Last year’s vote resulted in a 3-3 split, according to a 2025 ruling.
The board voted to grant Lockhart’s release after finding that he “has demonstrated a level of rehabilitation that would make his release compatible with the welfare of society.” Board members noted that he had completed empathy rehabilitation programs, garnered support from friends and family, and determined “a re-entry plan to meet his needs” due to spinal and hip issues, according to the ruling.
Two of Lockhart’s family members testified in support of parole, while three of the victim’s family members and a Middlesex County prosecutor testified against it. Before Lockhart’s release, he will serve 90 days in a minimum security prison and must receive clearance from the district attorney, the ruling states.
Lockhart’s release comes with several conditions, including electronic monitoring, supervision and testing for drugs and alcohol, and a strict curfew between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., according to the parole board. He must also receive mental health counseling and avoid contact with the murder victim’s family and the robbery victim.
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