Boston, Dec. 19, 2012 – A man convicted yesterday of beating and strangling Frederick Allen of Chelsea received a mandatory sentence of life in prison, District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

MARIO CRUZADO (D.O.B. 7/10/73) was sentenced by Suffolk Superior Court Judge Linda Giles in the 2010 murder of 56-year-old Frederick Allen of Chelsea inside the victim’s Bellingham Street apartment.  A jury deliberated for half a day before finding Cruzado guilty of first-degree murder, which carries an automatic life sentence.

During the four-day trial, Assistant District Attorney Holly Broadbent presented evidence and testimony proving that, on or around Nov. 24, 2010, Cruzado put Allen into a choke hold and left him unconscious inside the victim’s apartment, where Cruzado had spent time earlier that day drinking and taking drugs with Allen’s romantic partner.

Allen’s body was found by his home health aide two days later.

Prior to sentencing, Broadbent read the court impact statements written by Allen’s brother and sister.

Timothy Munzert was the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate on the case. Cruzado was represented by attorney Matthew Feinberg.

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