By Alec Cheung
After deliberating for five days, a jury convicted Keon Monteiro of two counts of second degree murder on Friday afternoon for the 2012 deaths of Sean Repetto and Victor Otoadese.
Otoadese, 21, and Repetto, 25, were shot in the back and head, respectively, on Nov. 28, 2012 on Batchelder Street in Roxbury. Monteiro had been seen with the victims and was spotted running away from the murder scene with a gun in his hand. Otoadese died soon after the shooting, while Repetto succumbed to his injuries roughly a week later. Click here to read more about the trial.
When the announcement came that the jury had reached a verdict, the courtroom was almost completely packed with family members of both victims, as well as Monteiro’s family.
When Monteiro first returned to the courtroom, tears began streaming down all of the victims’ families’ faces. Monteiro’s mother gasped and started weeping into her hands when the jury first announced that they found Monteiro not guilty of first-degree murder, while the victim’s family watched in shock.
After the verdict was read in court, Jake Wark, spokesman for the the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office, shared condolences with the victims’ families.
“There is no loss greater than the loss of a loved one,” Wark said. “We are happy that the Jury saw the evidence as we did and brought some measure of satisfaction to the feelings of the families.”
Wark said that although emotions usually run high during verdict announcements, the reactions on Friday were some of the most intense he had ever seen.
As Monteiro was being escorted out of the courtroom, his mother screamed.
“He didn’t do it,” Monteiro’s mother said. “Please don’t take my only son,” she pleaded.
“It’s alright mama, I’ll be alright,” Monteiro said. Those were his last words before leaving the courtroom.
Soon after Monteiro’s family members left, the victim’s family members began embracing. “They were supposed to be friends,” one of the victim’s family member said over and over again as relatives consoled each other. All of the victims’ relatives declined to comment to Homicide Watch Boston.
Judge Roach commended the jury before they were dismissed. “Few jury gets and gives as much time in deliberating,” Roach said. “They gave this case a great amount of attention and respect.”
The jury also found Monteiro guilty of firearms-related charges. Under Massachusetts law, felons charged with second-degree murder must serve a minimum life sentence with possibility of parole. Monteiro will be formally sentenced on Monday.
