Worcester Man Convicted In 2021 Double Murder Of Brothers

WORCESTER, MA — A Worcester man was found guilty of the murder of two Worcester brothers in 2021.

Christopher Burns was convicted in the deaths of Marcus A. Thibodeau, 27 and James M. Johnson, 35, according to Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. The brothers were shot Dec. 8, 2021, outside the former Diamond Inn on Grafton Street in what prosecutors said was a case of mistaken identity.

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Thibodeau and Johnson were outside the Grafton Street bar near 2 a.m. after celebrating Thibodeau’s 27th birthday when they were shot, Patch previously reported. Worcester police found both men on the sidewalk after the shooting, and they were later pronounced dead at a hospital.

Evidence presented at trial showed the brothers had no prior interaction or connection with Burns, according to the district attorney’s office.

Burns, a Vernon Street resident, was arrested at his home Apr. 13, 2022, on murder charges and gun law violations, Patch reported. He was arraigned that day in Worcester District Court and held without bail. A Worcester County grand jury indicted him Sept. 29, 2022.

“This verdict is the result of years of dedicated work by the investigators and prosecutors committed to seeking justice for the victims and their family,” DA Early said in a statement.

DA Early also thanked the Worcester Police Department, Assistant District Attorneys Timothy Westerman and Michael Travers and Victim Witness Advocate Maria Deyette for their work on the case.

The Diamond Inn closed after the shooting and later reopened under new ownership as Beth’s On Grafton Hill.

Sentencing for Burns will be scheduled for a later date, according to the district attorney’s office.

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