BOSTON, March 19, 2015— The man who shot 30-year-old Dinorris Alston dead and injured his companion three years ago was convicted of first-degree murder and other offenses today, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

A Suffolk Superior Court jury deliberated for about two days before finding MAURICE “MO” JONES (D.O.B. 12/29/93) guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and unlawful possession of a firearm for shooting Alston and a female acquaintance as they sat inside the woman’s car in April 2012.  Jurors acquitted Jones of armed assault with intent to murder in the woman’s shooting.

“No verdict will return Mr. Alston to his family,” Conley said. “No sentence will undo the shock and horror suffered by the surviving victim. But I hope they take some comfort knowing that the man responsible will now answer for his crimes, and that civilian witnesses stepped up to provide evidence and testimony that was crucial to this result.”

During the course of the weeklong trial, Assistant District Attorney Julie Higgins of the DA’s Homicide Unit presented evidence and testimony to prove that Alston was in the passenger’s seat and the woman behind the wheel of a vehicle on Dunreath Street at approximately 4 p.m. on April 17, 2012. Higgins proved that Jones appeared at the vehicle’s passenger’s side with a .45 caliber semiautomatic handgun and opened fire on both victims.  Mortally wounded, Alston spoke his last word to the woman, telling her “go,” as he shifted the car into gear.

The woman drove to a nearby gas station for help.  Emergency medical technicians arrived at the scene and found Alston in the vehicle’s passenger seat clinging to life with five gunshot wounds, including fatal wounds to his neck and torso.  The woman was struck by a bullet that entered her hip and exited through her back.

Officers obtained a witness statement describing the gunman’s clothing.  A short time later, they spoke with Jones and observed that he was wearing clothing that matched that description.

A witness testified to seeing Jones, who was known to the witness, fleeing the scene of the shooting after the sound of gunshots rang out.  Cell phone records also placed him in the area at the moment shots were fired.

Today’s verdicts came at the conclusion of Jones’ second trial after his first trial in ended with a hung jury in June.

At his sentencing before Judge Linda Giles next Thursday, Jones is expected to receive the mandatory sentence for the offense of first-degree murder, life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Katherine Moran and Timothy Munzert were the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocates.  Jones was represented by Earl Howard.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.