No Bail in DV Homicide
]BOSTON, June 1, 2022—Weeks after he fled Massachusetts, the man charged with murdering Terkeshia Boykins appeared before a judge yesterday, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said.
“This devastating act of domestic violence cost Terkeshia Boykins her life and sentenced her family to a lifetime without her. No legal proceedings can change that, but we can ensure that the man who stole her life is held accountable. As prosecutors, victim services providers and public servants, my office is available to this family and all survivors of homicide at every step of their journey, from the immediate aftermath until the end of time,” District Attorney Kevin Hayden said.
CHRISTOPHER HOWARD was arraigned in the West Roxbury Division of Boston Municipal Court on a charge of murder in Boykins’ fatal stabbing in Mattapan on May 10. Howard fled the area immediately after the murder and was later apprehended in Jacksonville, Fla. He was returned to Massachusetts on Friday to face arraignment. At the request of Assistant District Attorney Cailin Campbell, Howard was ordered held without bail.
Campbell told the court that, shortly before 9:40 p.m. on May 10, Howard, was inside a bedroom with Boykins at a Rosewood Street apartment. Upon hearing commotion in the room, witnesses opened the bedroom door and observed Howard on top of the victim, stabbing her with a knife. Howard fled the apartment and the state. He was ultimately apprehended more than 1,000 miles away in Jacksonville, Fla., a week later on May 7.
The victims of any crime, including domestic violence, should call 911 in an emergency. SafeLink, a statewide DV hotline, can be reached at 877-785-2020. SafeLink is answered by trained advocates 24 hours a day in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, as well as TTY at 877-521-2601. It also has the capacity to provide multilingual translation in more than 140 languages.
Help is also available for members of our LGTBQ+ community experiencing domestic or intimate partner violence through The Network/La Red by calling 617-742-4911 or 800-832-1901.
Elise McConnell is the DA’s assigned Victim Witness Advocate. Howard returns to court June 30, 2022.
James Borghesani, Chief of Communications
All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 20,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal legal system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.