A Suffolk Superior Court jury today convicted a man of manslaughter for fatally stabbing 28-year-old Edward “Red” Quiles to death during a fight in a mutual friend’s Chinatown apartment last year, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley announced.

Jurors found ANTHONY CHAMBERS (D.O.B. 1/15/57) guilty after about three days of testimony and one full day of deliberations. Judge Regina Quinlan will sentence him tomorrow at 2:00 in courtroom 907.

Assistant District Attorney Ian Polumbaum introduced evidence and testimony proving that Chambers and Quiles, who were both homeless, were acquaintances who bought and used drugs together in the weeks and months preceding the Feb. 10, 2008, incident at One Nassau St. in Chinatown, where both men sometimes stayed with a mutual friend.

Polumbaum proved that the two men became involved in an argument when Quiles accused Chambers of stealing his drugs. Chambers called 911 in the course of that argument, stating that Quiles was “flipping out,” and the building’s concierge soon made a second 911 call when the apartment’s tenant observed the two in physical combat and heard Quiles shout, “You stabbed me, you bastard!”

Chambers left the apartment at that point, the evidence showed, passing a uniformed Boston Police officer responding to the first call. That officer detained Chambers and demanded to see his hands, which were still covered in the victim’s blood.

Additional officers made their way up to the apartment, where they found Quiles bleeding to death from a wound to his neck. The blade and handle of a steak knife were recovered separately nearby. Quiles was transported to a nearby hospital but died of his injury.

Chambers first stated that he was defending himself against two attackers, one of whom had a gun. He later said that Quiles had attacked him with a knife and that he had grabbed Quiles’ hand and turned the knife back toward him.

Chambers had no injuries. He was later indicted for the crime of manslaughter.

Quiles’ family was present throughout the trial and for today’s verdict. Family members cried and hugged one another after the verdict was read.

“Edward Quiles, like too many others, had no place to call home,” Conley said. “He put his trust in a small number of people, and one of them betrayed that trust in the worst way possible. His life had meaning. It was not the defendant’s to take. The jurors affirmed these facts today, and we agree with their verdict.”

Chambers was represented by attorney John Sinsheimer.