Crime
A lawyer for Christopher Ferguson, the person charged in reference to the deaths of three Newton residents, entered a not responsible plea on his behalf Tuesday.
Charged within the obvious triple murder that rocked Newton over the weekend, Christopher Ferguson was ordered held with out bail throughout his arraignment Tuesday.
The 41-year-old is accused of attacking three Newton residents — Gilda “Jill” D’Amore, 73; her husband, Bruno D’Amore, 74; and her mom, Lucia Arpino, 97 — of their Broadway house over the weekend. A buddy discovered the three members of the family useless Sunday morning, setting off a citywide manhunt for suspects.
A bloody footprint later tied Ferguson to the crime scene, Middlesex District Legal professional Marian Ryan instructed reporters Monday night time. Ferguson has been charged with homicide, two counts of assault and battery with a harmful weapon, and housebreaking.
Protection legal professional Dmitry Lev entered a not responsible plea on Ferguson’s behalf Tuesday.
Prosecutor: A number of gadgets discovered close by
In accordance with Ryan, house safety video from close by Albemarle Street confirmed a person strolling round at about 5:20 a.m. Sunday with a “staggering gait” and no shirt or footwear. She stated officers recognized the person as Ferguson.
Investigators canvassing the neighborhood after the killings discovered different oddities, prosecutor Nicole Allain defined in Newton District Court docket. She stated officers discovered a pair of shoes on an Albemarle Street porch that didn’t belong to the residents there, in addition to a suitcase and backpack in two close by areas.
A redacted possible trigger assertion obtained by Boston.com signifies that the boots have been the identical coloration as ones Ferguson had been seen sporting Saturday night, and that they have been additionally the identical measurement because the footprints discovered within the D’Amores’ house.
Investigators discovered the suitcase on the intersection of Albemarle Street and Crafts Road, whereas the backpack — which allegedly contained Ferguson’s picture ID and a number of other figuring out paperwork — was situated in a close-by discipline, based on the possible trigger assertion.
Allain additionally famous that Ferguson was beforehand prosecuted in 2005. In that case, he was charged with misdemeanor assault and battery and ordered to bear a psychological well being analysis and a substance abuse analysis, The Boston Globe reported. The fees have been ultimately dismissed.
A possible historical past of psychological sickness
Although Allain didn’t contact on Ferguson’s psychological well being or alleged motive in court docket Tuesday, the possible trigger assertion signifies a possible historical past of psychological sickness.
Ferguson’s ex-girlfriend, who dated him for a year-and-a-half earlier than they broke up in January 2023, allegedly instructed officers that he was identified with bipolar dysfunction and had been in a manic episode since February.
In the meantime, his sister — who shares a house with Ferguson on Washington Road — described his latest habits as “erratic,” based on the possible trigger assertion. Officers utilized for an emergency Part 12 psychological well being analysis, and Ferguson was taken to St. Elizabeth’s Medical Heart in Brighton and held for 72 hours, the court docket doc signifies.
On social media, Ferguson’s Fb web page jumps between inspirational quotes and photos with family members. In a single 2020 submit, he wrote about experiencing “each housing and meals insecurity throughout lean occasions marked by instability.”
He included a photograph of his household’s Newton house within the submit, writing, “There have been a number of years in the course of the heights of my insanity the place I used to be not welcome, however the non permanent suspension made me admire it extra.”
Ferguson additionally appeared to have an account on the running a blog platform Medium, the place he wrote in 2020 about being identified with bipolar dysfunction in his 20s.
‘The failure of our psychological well being system’
Framingham Public Faculties confirmed that Ferguson labored there as a campus aide for 2 years till March 2023, the Globe reported. Neighbors instructed the newspaper that Ferguson had not too long ago misplaced a job at a neighborhood Entire Meals retailer.
Joseph Deluca recalled an evening a number of weeks earlier when Ferguson had been behaving unusually, the Globe reported.
“He was strolling round, he had his shirt off,” Deluca instructed the newspaper. “He was dragging his toes and was down and out. I don’t know.”
In accordance with the Globe, neighbors Ilana and Natan Margalit stated that Ferguson’s household tried to get him psychological well being care. Ilana Margalit instructed the Globe that Ferguson’s sister had talked about he was hospitalized for psychological well being points earlier this month.
“It feels to me one hundred pc the failure of our psychological well being system,” Ilana Margalit instructed the Globe. “He has household who loves him, and have been attempting their greatest to get him the assistance he wants.”
Christopher Ferguson Redacted Possible Trigger Assertion
E-newsletter Signup
Keep updated on all the newest information from Boston.com