Massachusetts Man Sentenced for Grisly Homicide, Assault & Burning of Cousin’s Spouse and Kids

Mathew Locke was sentenced Thursday in Worcester, after being convicted of 4 counts of first-degree homicide beneath three theories, together with deliberate premeditation, excessive atrocity and cruelty, and felony homicide, with the underlying felonies being armed housebreaking and aggravated rape.

He was additionally discovered responsible on the cost of armed housebreaking and arson of a dwelling.

The victims are Sara Bermudez, 38, Madison Bermudez, 8, James Bermudez, 6, and Michael Bermudez, 2, whose our bodies have been all discovered stabbed to dying of their West Brookfield residence on March 1, 2018.

Worcester County District Lawyer Joseph D. Early Jr. known as their deaths “among the most heinous ever seen by this workplace.”

Bermudez was out of city on enterprise when his household was killed, with Sara Bermudez’s father-in-law discovering the our bodies of her and her kids within the burned major bed room of their residence.

Warning: Graphic particulars to comply with.

In accordance with police testimony through the trial, one of many baby victims appeared badly burned, whereas each Sara and her daughter have been nude from the waist down.

The 2 feminine victims had allegedly been stabbed dozens of instances and raped with a knife. Testimony from a medical expert prompt the 2 have been alive through the assault. Locke’s DNA was “constant” with a pattern swabbed from each victims’ genitals.

The 2 boys have been additionally stabbed quite a few instances, with some wounds chopping via their our bodies totally.

Locke is accused of dousing the victims with gasoline, earlier than setting the room on hearth. By the point the our bodies have been found, the blaze had extinguished by itself.

Locke denied being the killer, with the protection arguing the DNA proof wasn’t a robust sufficient hyperlink and claimed Locke had no clear motive for the crime. Bermudez additionally prompt the MS-13 gang was accountable for the grisly murders at one level, although he later mentioned throughout testimony he was drunk and grieving when he floated out that concept.

Prosecutors alleged Locke was excessive on cocaine on the time and was presumably searching for cash, medicine or to settle some form of rating.

A feminine cousin of Locke’s who testified through the trial claimed the 2 have been doing cocaine the day of the homicide; she additionally shared textual content messages during which he appeared to rearrange for her to have intercourse with different males for cash, in addition to categorical his personal sexual curiosity in her.

Giving a sufferer’s affect assertion earlier than sentencing this week, Locke’s cousin, Moses Bermudez, mentioned “there is a particular place in hell for those who do issues like this,” referring to the grisly homicide of his complete household.

“I do not want for anyone to be on this place, not even my worst enemy,” he added, whereas displaying a photograph of him together with his spouse and children in entrance of their Christmas tree, per the Telegram & Gazette.

“The place do I am going from right here?” he reportedly requested aloud.

In the course of the sentencing listening to, Locke’s cousin Malinda Mathieson mentioned, “Medicine are an terrible factor. I am very sorry this has torn our household aside.”

“I pray one way or the other God finds some forgiveness for you,” she reportedly added. “However presently, I can’t forgive you. I am sorry.”