In a shocking incident, a suspect has been arrested in connection with the weekend killings of a Boston-area couple celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and the woman’s 97-year-old mother. The suspect, identified as Christopher Ferguson, has been charged with killing 73-year-old Gilda “Jill” D’Amore, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, and burglary. Additional charges are expected in the deaths of 74-year-old Bruno D’Amore and his mother-in-law, Lucia Arpino, pending the completion of their autopsies.
According to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, the bodies were discovered in the victims’ home after they failed to arrive at church on Sunday morning. Signs of forced entry into the basement and a chaotic scene with obvious signs of struggle were found. The preliminary investigation indicated that the victims died from stab wounds and blunt force trauma.
The suspect, who lived in the neighborhood, was identified through a bloody footprint that matched his. Blood stains near the footprints and bloody fingerprints on the screens and windows from the house were also collected as evidence. The killings have rattled the Newton community and the Our Lady Help of Christians Church, where the victims worshipped.
The victims and suspect all lived in the Boston suburb of Newton, but Ryan said it appeared there was no connection between them. An attempted break-in about a half-mile away from the victims’ home early Sunday is being investigated, but it’s unclear if the two crimes were related.
The victims were described as wonderful people, church-going, kind, hospitable, and salt of the earth by the Rev. Dan Riley of Our Lady Help of Christians. The suspect is expected to appear in court on Tuesday or Wednesday, and it’s unclear if he has an attorney who could comment on his behalf.