MA - 3 elderly people found dead in Newton home from apparent homicide, 25 June 2023 *arrest*

[realanastasia]

Emphasis mine.

Black bolded : Prob. part of the investigation ? Maybe a wellness check ?

Red bolded : Assuming he meant stayed on site at the church to notify the other parishioners know the sad news ?
A vow renewal would've meant other members showing up there ?
Obv. not at the house/crime scene ; but the wording is a bit confusing.
Imo.

Rest in peace to the deceased.
What brutal deaths.
Horrifying.

It sounded to me like the couple‘s vow renewal was scheduled to follow Communion at one of the regular Sunday Masses at this church. Sometimes there are Sunday Masses which have a “special feature” (where a parish might invite couples celebrating big anniversaries to renew their vows all at the same time) so I think this may have been the case rather than the vow renewal being held for just one couple. From the Our Lady Help of Christians parish bulletin, https://files.ecatholic.com/14507/documents/2023/6/23 Bulletin June 25.pdf?t=1687361956000
an announcement about a similar type of Mass in Boston:
“Annual Wedding Anniversary Mass: All couples celebrating their 10th, 25th, or 50th wedding anniversaries are invited to join Cardinal Seán O'Malley, O.F.M. Cap., on Sunday, October 29, at 3pm at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Boston. The Mass includes a vow renewal and special blessing by the cardinal. Family and friends are invited to attend. Couples can register or find more information at bit.ly/WeddingAnnivMass.”


When they were expected, but did not appear, I am guessing a parishoner volunteered to check on them and discovered the scene, and probably called the church after the police to explain why they were remaining on the scene rather than coming right back to the church. I would guess that in this way the Priest and parish staff may have (unfortunately) learned of the murders at just about the same time as the family members of the deceased who were waiting for them at the church and the priest and parish staff stayed at the church to console and pray with them.

 

[MassGal]

Neighbor said he was smart, funny, gentle etc but he struggled with mental health. Family had been trying to get him help @realanastasia

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1267415130564728

I've heard the same from co-workers who are in shock.

 

[Gardenista]

I've heard the same from co-workers who are in shock.

I can imagine they are because those traits are apparent on his FB page. I hate mental health problems

 

[Seattle1]

I've heard the same from co-workers who are in shock.

This was an extremely brutal attack on three elderly individuals who were no match to the suspect. IMO, too many individuals struggling with mental health issues turn to illegal drugs to self-medicate, and I will not be surprised if that was the case here. I think Fletcher was high on something here. JMO

 

[DS2021]

Neighbor said he was smart, funny, gentle etc but he struggled with mental health. Family had been trying to get him help @realanastasia

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1267415130564728

this is what happens when people dont have access to mental health services, I hope this is a learning experience, however I doubt it will be, we see these situations all the time and nothing changes.

 

[Yemelyan]

There are some additional details in this article, some which I had not seen before:

"Ryan said at about 10:15 a.m. Sunday, a neighbor and close friend of the family had entered their home at 49 Broadway in the city's Nonantum neighborhood....the friend and neighbor found the D'Amores and Arpino suffering from severe injuries after she entered the house. Ryan said the three people who lived at the home were pronounced dead at 10:20 a.m."

How the house was entered by force:

"One of the windows was open and a number of the other windows had had the screens pried off and removed from them," Ryan said. "The door of the garage, which was in the back part of the house, was also open and close to that door was one of the screens that had been torn from a basement window."

Also, regarding how the suspect was discovered:

"police began to canvass the area for video and found video from the area of 455 Albermarle Road, which is four-tenths of a mile away from the family's Broadway home and approximately 100 yards from Ferguson's supposed residence on Washington Street."

Police recognized Ferguson from the video because he was already known to them.

The article also said that Ferguson was already hospitalized when police placed him under arrest.

Source: Man arrested in connection with triple homicide in Newton home

 

[Erutan]

This was an extremely brutal attack on three elderly individuals who were no match to the suspect. IMO, too many individuals struggling with mental health issues turn to illegal drugs to self-medicate, and I will not be surprised if that was the case here. I think Fletcher was high on something here. JMO

I can't imagine.
The oldest victim was in her 90's !!
Living to be that age and meeting your end in that manner.
So heartbreaking.


Had to be terrifyingly painful and prolonged, my opinion (sorry, graphic) is that a stabbing takes some time to bleed out ?


Regarding the killer, I wonder if his family had attempted to have him committed or at least to take his meds --if he was on a prescription ?
Sometimes a family cannot force an adult to get treatment unless they have him 5150'd ?
M00.

 

[Seattle1]

Regarding the killer, I wonder if his family had attempted to have him committed or at least to take his meds --if he was on a prescription ?
Sometimes a family cannot force an adult to get treatment unless they have him 5150'd ?

IMO, seems to me it's long been a catch 22. Generally, a majority of states consider all patients, even mentally ill patients hospitalized involuntarily, competent to make personal decisions, including whether to take psychotropic medications, unless they are specifically found legally incompetent by a court of law.

 

[realanastasia]

This was an extremely brutal attack on three elderly individuals who were no match to the suspect. IMO, too many individuals struggling with mental health issues turn to illegal drugs to self-medicate, and I will not be surprised if that was the case here. I think Fletcher was high on something here. JMO

I did note that the perpetrator referred, in an old FB post, to being part of a “recovery group.” To be honest, I am not sure if that is just another term for a “support group,“ but if it’s related to actual “recovery (from substance use disorder)”your conjecture might be right though I hope it’s not.

 

[tlcya]

Christopher Ferguson, of Newton, has been charged with murder, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and burglary, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said at a press conference on Monday evening.
[snip]
"At this time we know of no established connection between family members and Mr. Ferguson," Ryan said, adding that the crime appears to be a random act.
[snip]
Ferguson is expected to be arraigned on Tuesday. It is unclear if he has retained counsel.
Man Arrested After Stabbing Deaths of Couple Celebrating 50th Wedding Anniversary

wow, random. so tragic for the family and friends of the victims. And so scary for the neighbors. If it was random it could have been anyone of them. I would have trouble sleeping at night thinking about that fact.

 

[Sincerely]

This was an extremely brutal attack on three elderly individuals who were no match to the suspect. IMO, too many individuals struggling with mental health issues turn to illegal drugs to self-medicate, and I will not be surprised if that was the case here. I think Fletcher was high on something here. JMO

Or substance abuse has caused mental health problems. I have no clue here but see both self-medicating for untreated mh and substance abuse causing mh issues. I agree that he was likely high on something. So so tragic.

 

[Yemelyan]

I can't imagine.
The oldest victim was in her 90's !!
Living to be that age and meeting your end in that manner.
So heartbreaking.


Had to be terrifyingly painful and prolonged, my opinion (sorry, graphic) is that a stabbing takes some time to bleed out ?


Regarding the killer, I wonder if his family had attempted to have him committed or at least to take his meds --if he was on a prescription ?
Sometimes a family cannot force an adult to get treatment unless they have him 5150'd ?
M00.

As the WCVB article states, he was already at the hospital when police came to arrest him, that makes me wonder if perhaps he was in such a bad state after the murders that day that his family or others (maybe authorities) had already acted to hospitalize him. Also possible that he injured himself in the attack which must have been extremely chaotic and brutal.

 

[sds71]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1673732389007241217

 

[Gardenista]

Looks like this should be live soon with the arraignment. ETA, they added this text

The arraignment, initially expected at 11 a.m., has reportedly been delayed till 2 p.m.

Watch: Lawyer for Newton murders suspect Christopher Ferguson enters not guilty plea on his behalf

Christopher Ferguson, 41, allegedly killed Gilda "Jill" D’Amore, 73; her husband, Bruno D’Amore, 74; and her mother, Lucia Arpino, 97.

www.boston.com

 

[Gardenista]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1673732389007241217

Oh boy. Yikes

 

[Seattle1]

The arraignment of Christopher Ferguson will be livestreamed on this page. He's set to appear after the court breaks for lunch.

The 41-year-old man charged in the triple murder that rocked the Newton, Massachusetts, community Sunday morning is due in court on Tuesday, as the city grapples with what has been described as a "terrible tragedy."

Man charged in Newton triple killing held without bail in 1st court appearance

The man charged in the triple killing that rocked the Newton, Massachusetts, community Sunday appeared in court on Tuesday, pleading not guilty to the charge of murder he currently faces. Christopher Ferguson was ordered held without bail.

www.nbcboston.com

 

[Seattle1]

dbm - double post

 

[Yemelyan]

Some news articles are being updated prior to his arraignment

Framingham Public Schools confirmed that Ferguson was employed by the district as a campus aide from Feb. 4, 2021, until March 7, 2023.

"We cannot comment further on personnel matters," Framingham Public Schools said in a statement to WCVB.

Ferguson was also charged with assault and battery in 2005 in Newton and ordered to undergo drug and mental health evaluations with follow-ups with random screenings, according to court documents. The case was dismissed in 2006.

Source: Man charged in beating, stabbing deaths of Newton couple, woman, 97, faces judge

 

[Seattle1]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1673740265100656659

 

[Seattle1]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1673752758371885062