Billerica Man Charged With Murdering His Grandmother

BILLERICA, MA — James Forsythe, 26, of Billerica, was charged Friday with murdering his grandmother, Ellen Scaringi, 69, after she was found dead in a Village Lane home Thursday.

Police believe Forsythe and Scaringi have been living together since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, despite an open domestic abuse case against Forsythe with the same victim.

A pre-trial condition of that May 2019 case required Forsythe to stay away from the Village Lane home.

Investigators believe Forsythe assaulted Scaringi, resulting in her death, and then fled using her vehicle, Thursday.

Around 10:10 a.m. Thursday, Massachusetts State Police responded to a single vehicle crash on 495 South in Boston, with Forsythe behind the wheel of Scaringi's vehicle. He was taken to a Worcester hospital for treatment.

Some seven minutes later, Billerica police received a 911 call about an unresponsive woman on Village Lane, and found Scaringi dead on the scene.

Investigators found no signs of a non-resident entering the home Thursday morning.

Forsythe was charged with murder, Friday. He is hospitalized and was due to be arraigned virtually by Zoom, Friday.

Middlesex District Attorney's office prosecutors Clarence Brown and Emily Jackson are assigned to the case.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.