Press Release

Press Release  SJC Upholds Domestic Homicide Convictions

SJC upholds 3 murder of convictions of man who killed his girlfriend and her children.
For immediate release:
1/23/2020
  • Essex District Attorney’s Office

Media Contact   for SJC Upholds Domestic Homicide Convictions

Carrie Kimball

Lawrence, MassachusettsThe Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has affirmed the first degree murder convictions against a man found guilty of shooting his girlfriend and her two children in Lawrence on Labor Day weekend in 2011.

In August, 2014, convicted Jose Tejada, now 49, of three counts of first degree murder in the deaths of Milka Rivera, 39, and her two children Sachary Montanez, 19, and Max Ariel Montanez, 16.  Judge Howard Whitehead sentenced him to three consecutive life sentences.

At trial, the jury heard from a neighbor who was approached by Tejada at approximately 2:00 am on September 5, 2011.  Tejada told the neighbor that he had killed his family because they were “talking down to him.”  The neighbor called Lawrence Police and remained to translate for Tejada, who only spoke Spanish.  When police asked what happened, Tejada repeated what he had told the neighbor and also said that he tried to shoot himself but “there were no more bullets.”

Responding officers investigated and found the bodies of Tejada’s girlfriend, and her daughter and son in an upstairs bedroom of their apartment.  They recovered a .357 Magnum revolver in the grass behind the apartment building which contained 6 spent shell casings that matched the bullets recovered at the scene.

Tejada appealed his convictions to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, arguing that there was insufficient evidence to sustain his convictions, his motion to suppress statements made to police on the night of his arrest should have been allowed, and the trial judge should have allowed a question about anti-Hispanic bias during jury selection.

“In upholding these convictions, the SJC ensures that justice is done for Milka Rivera and her children,” Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett said.  “The magnitude of the loss is incalculable, not just for their family but for the greater community.”

The Commonwealth was represented on appeal by Essex Assistant District Attorney David O’Sullivan.  Former Essex ADA Jean Curran and ADA Jennifer Kirshenbaum prosecuted the case.  Essex Victim Advocate Jocelyn Pichardo assisted the family.

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Media Contact   for SJC Upholds Domestic Homicide Convictions

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