BOSTON, June 19, 2013—With his retrial in the stabbing death of 29-year-old Andrew Wyman underway, the Randolph man accused in the killing yesterday pleaded guilty, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

DARRYL MITCHELL (D.O.B. 3/13/87) yesterday pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the May 15, 2011, stabbing that left Wyman dead.  Assistant District Attorney Dana Pierce of the DA’s Senior Trial Unit recommended that Mitchell serve a sentence of 11 to 13 years in prison.  Judge Raymond Brassard imposed a sentence of six to eight years.

Mitchell’s first trial ended in April with a hung jury after jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict on the manslaughter charge against him.  Jurors did, however, convict Mitchell’s co-defendant, JOY WILLIS (D.O.B. 1/23/87), of misleading Boston Police homicide detectives investigating the incident.

Mitchell’s admission of guilt came as prosecution testimony in his second trial was already underway. Had the trial continued, Pierce would have presented evidence and testimony to prove that Mitchell was driving Willis’ white 1992 Dodge Dynasty in the area of 794 Massachusetts Avenue on the morning of May 15, 2011.

Pierce would have shown that Wyman was walking in the same area with a female companion who was several feet ahead.  The woman had a brief verbal altercation with the Mitchell, who was in the Dodge.

When the woman told Wyman of the altercation, the evidence would have shown, Wyman ran to Mitchell’s vehicle as it was stopped at a red light and punched and kicked the car.

The evidence would have shown that Mitchell responding by stabbing Wyman in the chest and fleeing the scene. Wyman was transported to nearby Boston Medical Center, where he died from his injuries later that morning.

The vehicle used by Mitchell during the incident was found abandoned a short time later in the area of 255 Massachusetts Ave. with blood stains on the driver’s side door.  Willis, who had lent the vehicle to her then-boyfriend Mitchell, called police to report the car stolen in an attempt to help Mitchell avoid prosecution. She was sentenced to 2½ years in a house of correction with one year to serve and the balance suspended for a five-year probationary term.

Jennifer Sears was the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate.  Mitchell was represented by Eduardo Masferrer.  Willis was represented at trial by David Grimaldi.

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