Gunman Guilty of Murder, Sentenced to Life in Prison

BOSTON, March 15, 2016— The Hyde Park man who fatally shot 22-year-old Nicholas Martinez in the South End in 2012 was sentenced to life in prison today after a jury convicted him of murder, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

A Suffolk Superior Court jury deliberated for less than a day before convicting RAYMOND CONCEPCION (D.O.B. 4/30/97) this afternoon of first-degree murder under the theory of extreme atrocity or cruelty. Jurors also convicted him of unlawful possession of a firearm in connection with Martinez’s killing. 

Because Concepcion was a juvenile at the time he committed the murder, Judge Jeffrey Locke sentenced him to life in prison with the possibility of parole after a minimum of 20 years for the offense of murder, as well as a concurrent term of four to five years for unlawful possession of a firearm.  Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Hickman had recommended that parole eligibility begin only after 25 years – the maximum sentence allowed for juvenile murderers under current Massachusetts law.

Concepcion’s two co-defendants, JAQUAN HILL (D.O.B. 8/18/93), and SHAKEEM JOHNSON (D.O.B. 10/24/90), both of Hyde Park, pleaded guilty to manslaughter on Feb. 17, immediately after opening arguments took place in their trial, which was severed from that of Concepcion.  Each was sentenced to a term of 12 to 14 years in prison.

“From the first response at the crime scene to the last word of closing arguments, this was a joint effort to find justice for a young man gunned down in cold blood,” Conley said. “Boston Police and Suffolk prosecutors built a case that convicted Mr. Martinez’ killer and those who helped him. There are no words we can offer his loved ones to fill the void left by his loss, but I hope these convictions offer some satisfaction that justice was done on his behalf.”

During the course of a two-week trial, Hickman presented evidence and testimony to prove that Martinez was driving a motor vehicle in the South End on the evening of Oct. 17, 2012.  While Martinez was stopped in traffic in the area of 85 Hampton Street, the evidence showed, Concepcion exited another vehicle a few car lengths behind, approached Martinez’s vehicle armed with a gun, and fired four shots.  Martinez was struck by the gunfire and later succumbed to his injuries at Boston Medical Center.

After the shooting, Concepcion reentered the backseat of the vehicle he had exited, which was occupied by Johnson in the driver’s seat and Hill in the front passenger seat.

A Boston Police detective who was also stopped in traffic at the intersection heard the shots and observed Concepcion entering the vehicle before the vehicle began to flee the scene.  He gave chase and briefly blocked the suspect vehicle in before it was able to speed off.  The men were soon stopped on Route 93 by additional Boston Police and State Police units.

Ballistics evidence was recovered from the scene, and the firearm used in the shooting was recovered after an extensive search of the vehicle’s path of flight.  Prosecutors also presented witness statements, physical evidence, and Concepcion’s own post-Miranda statements to police admitting to the shooting.

Before Concepcion’s sentence was imposed, Martinez’s mother gave a tearful impact statement.

“On the inside I’m dying,” Martinez’ mother said.  “And this pain is never going to go away.  It’s never going to go away because it’s the worst thing a mother can go through.”

Martinez’ girlfriend, the mother of his child, addressed the court in a written statement that Hickman read.

“That night everything changed.  My life would no longer be the same.  I had to come to terms with the fact that my daughter would grow up without her loving dad, I was no longer going to marry the man I loved – my best friend – and his family had lost him for good.”

Assistant District Attorney Matthew Sears of the DA’s Appellate Division served as second seat at trial.  Eliana Builes was the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate.  Concepcion was represented by John Cunha, Johnson by Christopher Belezos, and Hill by Rosemary Scapicchio.

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