A South Boston man accepted a plea deal for the killings of two males in 1984 and 1993 and can serve 15 years, a Suffolk Superior Courtroom decide dominated Wednesday — a conclusion one sufferer’s daughter referred to as the “coward’s way out.”
Michael Lewis, 65, pleaded responsible to manslaughter for the homicides of 22-year-old Brian Watson in July of 1984 and his boss on the Boston Housing Authority Pest Management Unit, William Villani, 46, in April of 1993. Lewis initially pleaded not responsible to homicide fees.
“Every birthday I have is overshadowed by the memory of what you did, what would have been celebrations forever marked by grief, pain and loss,” stated Jessica, who stated her father, Watson, was killed on her third birthday.
“While you lived your life for years, we lived with the emptiness you created,” she added. “We carried the weight of what you did. When you were finally charged, you took a plea deal instead of facing us in court.”
Jessica referred to as it the “coward’s way out.”
Choose Mary Ames sentenced Lewis to fifteen years in Souza Baranowski Correctional Heart for every homicide, to be served concurrently, with just below 3 and a half years of time served.
The courtroom was full Wednesday of investigators concerned over the many years and the intensive Watson household, a few of whom cried audibly via the proceedings. Lewis attended in individual, sitting in a wheelchair, giving little expression and declining to handle the courtroom.
The primary homicide came about round July 16 or 17 of 1984, when a drug seller within the South Boston scene enlisted Lewis’ assist to go intimidate a rival seller, based on prosecutors.
“While looking for him, Lewis and Richards ran into Brian Watson, who, like the original drug dealer, was also involved in the sale of angel dust,” stated Suffolk ADA John Verner. “Richards and Lewis suspected that Watson might know where that drug dealer they’re looking for.”
Watson climbed within the again seat, then Lewis turned, pointed a firearm and shot and killed Watson “at Richard’s suggestion,” Verner stated. The 2 males then drove north and dumped Watson’s physique simply past the tree line alongside I-93 in Manchester, New Hampshire, the place a pair would discover him months later.
Round April 16, 1993, Lewis killed once more, this time his boss when he labored for the Boston Housing Authority Pest Management Unit, William Villani. By some accounts, Verner stated, the defendant was upset with Villani after he ordered Lewis to return to work from a prolonged excused absence.
On April 17, Villani’s fiancé reported him lacking, and police discovered his physique in a pool of blood in his workplace within the basement of Two Sterling Sq.. He’d been shot as soon as within the cheek, crushed and stabbed a number of instances. A bag of pesticide was positioned on his physique.
“Over the years, rumors and uncorroborated information pointed to the defendant as the person responsible for William Villani’s death,” stated Verner. “It was also believed that a person by the name of Mr. Mercier was also involved.”
The primary break within the instances got here in 2011, when the drug seller Richards entered right into a cooperation settlement to supply data towards the defendant. Richards gave data on each murders nevertheless it was deemed “not enough information to go forward,” Verner stated.
Then in 2022, a person named John Sacco going through tax evasion and cash laundering fees informed investigators that “on numerous occasions the defendant bragged to him about killing Brian Watson in 1984 and William Villani in 1993.”
Sacco provided a tape recording of Lewis admitting to each crimes, aiming to cut back his sentences.
The third alleged witness, Mercier, was subpoenaed however killed himself earlier than he may testify.
Verner stated Wednesday, the Commonwealth’s plea deal and 15 12 months sentencing advice had nothing to do with what “what Michael Lewis deserves or what he should get in a perfect world.”
“In this case, after 41 years and 32 years respectively, the Commonwealth has confronted unique challenges that are not always applicable in cases that we try on modern day,” Verner stated, citing points with the lack of investigators, with Richards’s testimony and the “biggest problem” with the credibility and cooperation of the primary witness John Sacco.
Verner stated he hoped the conclusion would offer a “semblance of justice and some closure” and that at almost 80 years previous and in poor bodily well being, Lewis shouldn’t be a hazard to the group after his launch.
A number of members of Watson’s household provided testimony, together with his fiancé, sisters, niece, and brother. They referred to as the younger father a “good and caring man,” stated he had the “biggest heart and cared deeply for his family” and remembered he would “fill every room with laughter and love” and “dance and sing and play with all the kids.”
“When Brian was killed, I not only lost the man I love, I lost the future we were supposed to share,” stated his fiancé Maureen Watson. “My daughter lost her father. He would have been the best dad and awesome grandfather to her two boys.”
Protection lawyer James Sultan stated his consumer “has accepted his responsibility.”
“He had every right to go to trial and fight these charges,” stated Sultan. “Both cases were seriously flawed, and there is no telling what the result of those trials would have been, but I think he stepped up and took responsibility. And I think that says a lot for for his state of mind.”
In her sentencing determination, Choose Ames famous it “very clear in dealing what we’ve referred to as a cold case, victims are never forgotten.”
“Cases like this, you come into court, and I hope we can give you some measure of justice,” stated Ames earlier than accepting the sentencing advice. “But there is no closure. My wish for you is that we are able to provide you some measure of peace.”
