Press Release  Man to Serve Two Consecutive Life Sentences in Peabody Double Homicide

Peabody, Massachusetts — Wes Doughty, 42, will serve two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole for the murder of Mark Greenlaw and Jennifer O’Connor at 19 Farm Avenue in Peabody on February 18, 2017.  Judge Timothy Feeley imposed the sentence after hearing impact statements from the victim’s family members at a hearing this morning in Salem Superior Court.  A jury found Mr. Doughty guilty of two counts of first degree murder, armed carjacking, kidnapping, assault & battery with a dangerous weapon and attempted arson on Friday afternoon following a week-long trial.

 In her sentencing argument, Essex Assistant District Attorney Kate MacDougall requested consecutive life sentences stating, “While it is largely symbolic, it speaks to the separate and distinct acts.  Mark and Jennifer were deeply loved and deserved a chance to win their war against addiction.”  In addition to the consecutive life terms, ADA MacDougall requested 20 years of probation to begin today, during which Mr. Doughty is ordered not to have any contact with the victim’s family.  She also requested 8 to 10 years on the kidnapping, 12 to 15 years on the armed carjacking to be served concurrently with the first life term.  Judge Feeley adopted her recommendation.  Mr. Doughty received 948 days of jail credit on the first life term.

 “The facts of this case were extremely disturbing and is evidence of the destruction that drug abuse and trafficking can wreak of people’s lives,” Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett said.  “I am pleased that Judge Feeley adopted the Commonwealth’s recommendation to impose the mandatory life without parole sentences consecutively rather than concurrently.  It provides specific justice for each victim and acknowledges the pain and loss of each family.”

ADA MacDougall was assisted at trial by Essex ADA Kathryn Leary and Essex Victim Advocate Michelle Defeo.  DA Blodgett thanked the prosecution team, Essex State Police detective Trooper Matt Wilson, Peabody Police detectives Capt. Eric Zawacki and Dave Murphy for their work on the investigation as well as Peabody Police Chief Tom Griffin for the providing the extensive resources that this investigation required. 

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