JP Snow Shoveling Crew Murder: Two Men Get Life In Prison

JAMAICA PLAIN, MA — The two men convicted last week of murdering 21-year-old Kenny Lamour as he worked on a Jamaica Plain snow-shoveling crew were sentenced to life in prison today, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley announced. Lamour was shoveling for a nonprofit that helps young people stay away from crime.

At the conclusion of their Suffolk Superior Court jury trial last week, Donte Henley, 27, and Josiah Zachery, 21 were found guilty of second-degree murder for Lamour’s 2015 shooting death. Judge Peter Lauriat today sentenced each to life in prison with the possibility of parole after a minimum of 20 years.

Also convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm and assault with a dangerous weapon, Zachery was ordered to serve an additional four to five years in prison, to be served after he has completed the sentence on his murder conviction.

Both Henley and Lamour were members of a snow-shoveling crew organized by a non-profit agency on Feb. 11, 2015. Though the two men were known by the agency to be affiliated with rival gangs, each told a crew supervisor they could work together without issue.

Phone records, however, proved that Henley began to plot Lamour’s murder through an exchange of text messages with Zachery. In the messages, Henley expressed hostility toward Lamour and told Zachery to come to the Jamaica Plain worksite with a gun. Henley later provided Zachery with Lamour’s location and clothing description.

Zachery located Lamour on Centre Street. At about 10:35 a.m., he opened fire and struck Lamour in the head.

A Boston Police officer chased Zachery as he ran from the crime scene. Zachery pointed his gun at the officer and fired one shot as he ran. The officer was not struck, and additional Boston Police soon located Zachery nearby on Centre Street.

Prosecutors said he was carrying shovel but had no gloves, and was wearing sneakers rather than snow boots. Boston Police located a resident of a nearby resident who reported that a shovel matching the one Zachery was carrying had been stolen.

Previously on Patch:

JP Snow Shoveling Crew Slaying Trial To Get Underway

Jamaica Plain Snow-Shoveling Murder: Two Convicted

Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch