Boston Man Indicted On Murder Charge In 1984 New Hampshire Cold Case

CONCORD, NH — An indictment has been made in Boston in a virtually 38-year New Hampshire chilly case — the killing of Brian Watson, 23, of South Boston.

Michael Lewis, 61, of South Boston was indicted and arrested on Friday by Boston police on a felony first-degree homicide cost. He was accused of killing Watson throughout a drug-dealing dispute in July 1984 in Southie.

Suffolk County District Legal professional Kevin Hayden stated many companies had been concerned in fixing the multi-decade case.

“This was a real workforce effort to assist indict and cost a murder that hearkens again to a really totally different Boston,” he stated. “Brian Watson was a younger father lower down seemingly on a whim. A remarkably cold-blooded whim. Mr. Watson’s household has endured many, a few years of loss and heartache. On the very least, they now have some solutions.”

In mid-July 1984, Watson disappeared and his mom, towards the top of the month, filed a lacking individual report with the police. In September 1984, on Interstate 93, close to the Londonderry-Manchester line, a person who pulled over found a decomposed physique hidden within the brush, about 40 ft from the Interstate. The physique was later recognized as Watson via dental data.

Hayden stated details about the case had been developed through the previous few months resulting in the indictment.

New Hampshire Legal professional Normal John Formella stated the division was happy an arrest had been made within the case.

“We hope that this important improvement brings Brian Watson’s family members one step nearer to justice and closure,” he stated. “This arrest represents an amazing quantity of laborious work, cooperation, and coordination between investigators in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, together with our workforce on the New Hampshire Division of Justice. We can not say sufficient about how grateful we’re to have such robust regional regulation enforcement partnerships, from the Suffolk County District Legal professional’s Workplace and Boston Police Division, to our New Hampshire State Police and Manchester Police Division.”

Investigating Watson’s Demise

For a few years, investigators have been eyeing the case, which has been listed on the New Hampshire chilly case file.

Hayden known as it a prolonged investigation by many, as famous by Formella, too. Investigators made strides however couldn’t remedy the case. A break within the case occurred in 2009 however not sufficient to indict.

Whereas Hayden and officers didn’t get into specifics, through the previous few months, extra data turned out there, they usually had been in a position to transfer ahead with an indictment.

In keeping with prosecutors, Lewis and one other man, accused of being South Boston drug sellers on the time, had been looking for a 3rd drug seller. The search was about stopping a 3rd drug seller from working in Southie.

The person with Lewis, in line with prosecutors, was indignant as a result of the third seller instructed James “Whitey” Bulger and Kevin Weeks, a Bulger affiliate, that he (the second drug seller) was promoting angel mud in Southie. This led Bulger to demand $5,000, about $13,900 in the present day, from the second drug seller in addition to a lower of the motion — $1,000 every week or $2,800 in in the present day’s {dollars}.

Whereas searching for the third drug seller, Lewis and the second drug seller encountered Watson, prosecutors stated. They requested to be taken to the third seller and Watson agreed, a report acknowledged. The three of them drove round South Boston, looking for the third seller, and, sooner or later through the search, Lewis was accused of turning towards Watson and taking pictures him.

Lewis and the second man then drove to New Hampshire and dumped Watson’s physique off the freeway, prosecutors stated.

Lewis might be arraigned in Suffolk County Superior Court docket on Tuesday.

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