Press Release  Mattapan Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murdering a Lawrence Man

Lawrence, MA — A Mattapan man will spend the rest of his life in prison for shooting and killing a Lawrence man in 2017.  A jury convicted Justin Hollingsworth, 30, of first-degree murder yesterday after deliberating for nearly four hours.

Judge Janice Howe imposed the mandatory sentence today at a sentencing hearing during which four family members of the victim, Jose Manuel Moreta Perello, 46, (pictured below) told the court how his murder has created a permanent void in their lives.   The victim’s oldest son thanked prosecutors and the police “for their arduous work to collect sufficient evidence so today there could be justice for my father.”

“Jose Perello was the father of 13 children and a brother,” Essex Assistant District Attorney Kim Gillespie  said in her sentencing statement.  “No words beyond what the victim’s family has already shared can really articulate their loss.”

During the 6-day trial, ADA Gillespie, with assistance from ADA James Gubitose, introduced evidence that proved that Hollingsworth shot Perello ten times near his home on Avon Street in Lawrence on February 16, 2017.  Using surveillance video and cell phone data, prosecutors proved that a car registered to the defendant was in the area of Avon and Wilmot Streets for several hours in the days before and on the day of the murder.  Witness statements corroborated video surveillance that placed the defendant’s 2015 Ford Focus around the corner from the victim’s home in the hours leading up to the shooting.  Video evidence showed a man matching the defendant’s description approach the victim outside his home just before 4:00 pm.  The man began shooting and then chased the victim down Avon Street.  At approximately 4:01 pm, Lawrence Police responded to reports of shots fired and located the victim near the intersection of Trinity and Avon Streets.  He was transported to Lawrence General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

“This was a brazen daytime shooting in a densely populated neighborhood,” Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett said.  “The investigation required painstaking police work to identify to defendant’s vehicle and I am grateful that their work resulted in holding the person responsible accountable.”

ADAs Gillespie and Gubitose were assisted at trial by Essex Victim Advocate Jocelyn Pichardo.  They thanked Lawrence Police Lt. Hal Rogers and Lt. Pete Sherber, of the Essex State Police Detective Unit, for their work on the investigation.

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