Manslaughter Plea in East Boston Strangulation, Arson

BOSTON, May 16, 2013—An East Boston teen today admitted to strangling an older family friend to death with a dog chain, accepting a 15-year prison term for killing the man who sexually abused him as a child rather than go to trial on a murder charge, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

MARCO TULIO FLORES (D.O.B. 10/3/93) pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and arson at today’s proceedings in connection with the 2011 homicide of 28-year-old Jaime Galdamez in the victim’s East Boston apartment. Flores had initially been charged with first-degree murder.

“This was a homicide case, but it was also a case of child sexual abuse,” Conley said. “More than anything, I hope it gives parents and caregivers an incentive to talk to kids about inappropriate relationships. Remind them that no one who really cares for them would want them to keep a secret from you. And most important, make it clear that they won’t get in trouble for telling you about something that makes them uncomfortable.”

Had the case proceeded to trial, Assistant District Attorney Ian Polumbaum of the DA’s Homicide Unit would have introduced evidence and testimony to show that Flores brought a knife and metal chain to the older family friend’s home on the night of May 22, 2011, confronted him about sexually abusing Flores as a pre-teen, and interrogated him about his alleged plans to abuse another young member of the family. Afterward, the evidence would have shown, Flores wrapped Galdamez’ face in duct tape and strangled him with the chain. Flores then took several items including computer equipment from Galdamez’ residence and doused the bed and remains in lighter fluid. At about 8:00 the next morning, the evidence would have shown, Flores returned and set the fire by reaching in through a window he left open. That fire led to the discovery of Galdamez’ remains.

Prosecutors would also have introduced evidence that Flores planned the homicide even before the day it occurred, showing that he had initially intended to kill Galdamez on May 20 but found that the victim was out of town.

Prosecutors were also mindful that jurors would likely hear “expert testimony regarding … the nature and effects of physical, sexual, or psychological abuse and typical responses thereto, including how those effects relate to the perception of the imminent nature of the threat of death or serious bodily harm” under Ch. 233, Sect. 23F of the Massachusetts General Laws.

“This was a just resolution to an utterly tragic case,” Conley said. “It provides accountability for a life that was taken cruelly, but it also recognizes the strong mitigating factors and the potential outcomes at trial.”

In addition to the homicide and arson charges, Flores also admitted to attempting to escape from the Nashua Street Jail for an incident in late 2011 in which he and a cellmate managed to spread the bars on their window and break the window itself in an attempted jailbreak. The plot was foiled when a guard in an office directly downstairs saw glass falling past her window.

Katherine Moran was the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate. Flores was represented by attorney James Budreau.

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