Danvers Man Gets Probation For Poisoning Neighbor's Garden

DANVERS, MA —A Danvers man admitted to pouring a chemical and killing his neighbor's flower bed and vegetable garden last summer. Following his guilty plea Friday, a Salem District Court judge sentenced Fernando Silva, 60, of 21B Hardy Street in Danvers, to 18 months probation. While an attorney for Silva said the incident followed years of tensions between Silva and his neighbors, Janet and James Morose, the victims said they do not know why they were targeted.

According to the Salem News, which first reported this story, the Moroses said in a victim impact statement that the chemical was strong enough to burn their eyes after it was applied and that they had to prohibit their grandchildren from playing outside. Silva was caught on a surveillance camera applying the chemical at 1:30 am on July 21. The footage also showed Silva trying to cover a decoy camera with a towel.

For more on this story, see the Salem News.