SJC Agrees with the Commonwealth and Upholds Convictions in 2013 Murder and Attacks

BOSTON, October 4, 2021— The state’s highest court today upheld the murder conviction of EDWIN ALEMANY in the July 2013 killing of Amy Lord, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins said.

The Supreme Judicial Court upheld Mr. Alemany’s convictions for first-degree murder and other felony offenses related to a brutal series of attacks of three separate women within the span of twenty hours in South Boston on July 23rd and 24th, 2013.  Among his arguments on appeal, Mr. Alemany argued that his trial attorney was ineffective for acknowledging to the jury that Mr. Alemany committed the horrific offenses as part of the trial strategy arguing that he was not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.  He also argued that the model jury instructions that the trial judge delivered to the jury contained an error and that the trial prosecutor made statements to the jury that appealed to juror’s sympathy for the victim.  The SJC rejected every argument.

At trial, Suffolk prosecutors proved that Mr. Alemany attacked a 22-year-old woman as she walked along Old Colony Avenue just before 5:00 a.m. on July 23, 2013. He beat her, knocked her to the ground and dragged her into a parking lot, telling her that he would kill her before fleeing on foot.

Shortly thereafter, Mr. Alemany attacked Amy Lord as she left her Dorchester Street apartment at about 6:00 am that same morning. He beat her, forced her into her own Jeep Cherokee at knifepoint, and forced her to make a series of cash withdrawals at ATMs in South Boston and Dorchester. He then forced her to accompany him to Stony Brook Reservation in Hyde Park, where he stabbed her to death. He then drove her Jeep back to South Boston, where he set it on fire.

Continuing on his violent crime spree, he rushed a third lone female victim as she entered her Gates Street home just after midnight on July 24th, about 18 hours after he had murdered Lord. The evidence showed that Mr. Alemany repeatedly stabbed this other woman, but fled when she screamed.  She survived the brutal attack.

“As District Attorney, I pledged to dedicate my office’s limited resources toward holding violent offenders accountable and ensuring that they are removed from the communities they have harmed.  This work is done for the vital purposes of public health and public safety. I’m grateful for the diligence and efforts of members of the Boston Police Department for their work solving Amy’s murder and identifying the man who terrorized her before taking her life.  I also deeply appreciate the work of the office I now lead – including ADA John Pappas who prosecuted this case at trial, Victim Witness Advocate Edith Ayuso and other members of my Victim Witness Assistance Program who helped guide Amy’s loved ones and the other surviving victims through the complicated criminal legal process.  This incredible team helped the Lord family and the other survivors access the resources and treatment they deserve. Assistant District Attorney Cailin Campbell, Chief of my Appeals Unit, wrote the brief advocating to uphold the convictions this office secured for the Lord family and each of the other survivors,” District Attorney Rollins said.  “We will fight for the rights of violent crime victims and survivors to ensure that violent offenders are held accountable. From the moment an individual is victimized, and their loved ones and family are impacted by that violence, through a post-conviction appeal or request for review, we continue to work on behalf of all victims and survivors, as well as the communities we serve.”

“I have never shied away from reviewing past convictions to make sure we got it right.  As ministers of justice, we must ensure the constitution is adhered to while we advocate for accountability through prosecution. Here, the evidence is clear and proved this individual’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.  We strongly advocated to uphold this conviction because it was secured constitutionally and ethically, like the overwhelming majority of the convictions secured by this office. I am proud that the appellate brief in this case bears my name,” District Attorney Rollins continued.  “The investigation leading to the arrest and prosecution of Mr. Alemany was conducted professionally and with integrity.  This defendant received a fair trial and the jury found him guilty.  That verdict has been maintained and  justice has been done.”

All charged individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins’ 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 justice 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.