Newton, MA - On Monday evening, June 26, 2023, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan provided the identity of three victims who were murdered in a Newton home on Sunday, and announced the arrest of 41 year-old Christopher Ferguson of Newton, who has been charged in connection with the killings. He is charged with murder, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and burglary, said DA Ryan in Monday's press conference at the Newton Police station.
The violent attacks so far appear "random," said DA Ryan, less than 48 hours into the investigation conducted by Newton Police, Massachusetts State Police, and the DA's office.
“At this time, we know of no established connection between the family members and Mr. Ferguson,” she said, adding the caveat that the determination is a preliminary one.
DA Ryan named the victims as Gilda D’Amore, aged 73, her husband Bruno D’Amore, aged 71, and Mrs. D’Amore’s 97 year old mother, Lucia Arpino.
The D’Amores were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. They were due to attend a ceremony on Sunday to renew their vows at a church which the DA referred to “Our Lady’s.” Guests had gathered, but the couple failed to show.
A close friend and neighbor went to the D’Amore’s home on Broadway Street to check on them. She discovered the home’s three residents, all with severe injuries. The friend called 911. Mr. and Mrs. D’Amore and Ms. Arpino were pronounced dead at the home. It was 10:20 a.m.
All three victims had suffered from knife injuries and blunt force trauma. The autopsy performed on Mrs. D’Amore showed her injuries exceeded 30 in number, mostly to the upper body and head. Further information regarding the injuries sustained by Mr. D’Amore and Ms. Arpino were not yet available, as the autopsies had not been completed.
It was the autopsy of Mrs. D’Amore, and the medical examiner subsequently ruling Mrs. D’Amore’s death a homicide, that supported the murder charge for Mr. Ferguson. DA Ryan stated her expectation that Mr. Ferguson would face additional charges from police when the autopsies for the other two victims are completed.
DA Ryan provided more details of evidence of the attack. Investigators found “obvious signs” of a struggle in a bedroom in the home, included damaged furniture, a bloody crystal paperweight, and a knife in the kitchen with red-brown stains.
There appeared to be a forced entry through the home’s basement window. A number of windows had screens pried off. Additionally, a door to the garage was open, with a screen lying nearby.
Massachusetts State Police forensics processed the tile floor outside the bedroom, where the struggle occurred, with LCV that enhances visibility of blood. Forensics discovered bloody, bare footprints. Police also recovered what is hoped to be fingerprints from the window and screen.
Following a call through the media for the public's help with information and video surveillance, Police obtained video from the area of 455 Albemarle Road, which is located about 0.4 miles from the crime scene and 100 yards from Mr. Ferguson’s residence on Washington Street. The video showed that on Sunday morning, around 5:20 a.m., a bare-chested, shoeless male was walking in the area with a staggering gait. Several Newton Police officers identified the man as Mr. Ferguson, who was known to them.
With the investigation focusing on Mr. Ferguson, police obtained a foot impression from Mr. Ferguson on Monday. The police lab was able to match the print obtained from Mr. Ferguson with the bloody, bare footprints from the scene of the crime. The finding led to a warrant for Mr. Ferguson’s arrest. He was arrested just minutes before Monday evening's press conference, said DA Ryan.
Mr. Ferguson was hospitalized when he was arrested. His hospital stay is expected to last about 1.5 days, according to DA Ryan. She did not elaborate on his condition. However, she noted her expectation that he would be in court on Tuesday or Wednesday this week.
DA Ryan noted that the investigation in this case was a “clearly dogged gathering of evidence and processing” in a short period of time. The investigation was the result of a determination to find out what happened to the family and to restore the sense of safety to the community, she said.
“This was a careful, thoughtful, and relentless investigation. It required the collaboration of multiple agencies,” said the DA.
While Newton Police Chief John Carmichael, Jr. extended his condolences to the victims’ family, he also expressed happiness in being able to seek justice for them. “I’m very happy to report now we’ll be bringing a violent criminal to justice. We’ll seek justice for the victims and hopefully provide at least a little bit of solace for this family following such a senseless act of violence,” he said.
“Newton is a safe city,” Chief Carmichael added. “However, this is a reminder that senseless acts of violence do take place in cities such as ours,” he cautioned. He advised residents to maintain vigilance and awareness in the community, to “watch out for each other,” and report suspicious activity to ensure community safety in the future.
DA Ryan thanked the media for quickly releasing information about the crime and law enforcement’s request for the public's assistance. She noted that the call for help worked as intended, and she thanked the Newton community for its support and response.
Sunny, with a high of 50 and low of 38 degrees. Partly Cloudy for the morning, sunny in the afternoon, clear for the evening,
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