Medford Man Found Guilty for 2006 Murder
The following is an announcement from Middlesex County District Attorney Gerry Leone:
A Medford man, Tom Evans, has been found guilty for the 2006 murder of Paula Doherty, 48, also of Medford, Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone informed the public today.
Tom Evans, 56, was found guilty today of murder in the first degree by a Middlesex Superior Court jury for the killing of Paula Doherty. Middlesex Superior Court Judge Brassard sentenced Evans to life in prison without the elibility of parole.
“This defendant has now been held accountable for robbing and brutally killing Paula Doherty in her own home,†District Attorney Leone said. “Tom Evans took advantage of an extremely vulnerable victim who was supposed to be his friend, all because he wanted her money to feed his drug habit. We thank the jury for their just verdict and extend our deepest condolences to Paula Doherty’s family and friends.â€
According to authorities, on Monday, October 2, 2006, Medford Police responded to a 911 call of a reported unresponsive female at 870 Fellsway in Medford . When police arrived, they found Doherty laying on the floor and unconscious, suffering from apparent blows to the head. There were no signs of a forced entry into the apartment. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Medford Police and Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office commenced an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the victim’s death. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner completed an autopsy of the victim and determined the cause of death to be homicide by blunt trauma to the head.
Based on that investigation, it was determined that Doherty, Evans, and others were together at Doherty’s 870 Fellsway apartment on Saturday, September 30, 2006. Witnesses place Evans and Doherty as the last two people who remained at the residence together that night, and authorities believe Doherty’s time of death was later that evening.
According to investigators, while the two were in the apartment, Evans stole a large amount of cash from the victim and, during the course of the robbery, Evans struck and killed her.
On Sunday, October 1, numerous witnesses stated that Evans had a wad of cash on him and was buying drugs, spending nearly $2,000 in the day and night after Doherty’s death. Another witness testified that Evans asked her to do his laundry on October 1, including a pair of jeans that appeared to have blood stains on them.
Additionally, forensic evidence gathered on the days surrounding the murder linked Evans to the site and the robbery, including his DNA profile in all four of her pants pockets she was wearing at the time of the murder.
Evans was indicted on Monday, October 15, 2007 by a Middlesex County Grand Jury on one count of murder and one count of armed robbery. He was arrested later that day in Somerville by Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office.
On October 16, 2007 he was arraigned in Middlesex Superior Court and entered a plea of not guilty. Judge Diane Kottmyer ordered him held without bail.
The trial team in this case is led by Assistant District Attorney and PACT Unit Chief John Verner and includes Assistant District Attorney Nicole Allain, victim witness advocate is Helena Clarke, and paralegal Kyle Reed. The case was investigated by Medford Police and Massachusetts State Police assigned to the District Attorney’s Office.
e didnt kill that lady ! i love you uncle tomyy <3 AY COPS WHO READ THIS , i hope i find out who arrestd my uncle.
First of all lets get the facts straight my father Thomas Evans did not murder this woman he is innocent I have a written letter and an email from his layered at the time of the case stating that the DNA was nit his and that he is ruled out as a suspect., the d.a. the medford police and the state police all lied and used scare tactics on witnesses and local people that know my father. The d.a. and police never bro.g up the fact that Ms.Doherty was a known drug dealer and she owed money to the people she received her drugs from and that her ex boyfriend who was released from prison before all this went down who she also owed money to. If the DNA is not a match to my fathers DNA than he should not be in prison, the DNA that was found under her nails and on her was of four other males none of which was my fathers and the DNA that was supposedly my fathers that was found in her pockets was the as if someone would shake another persons hand or if they passed a pen or lighter to that person. The facts speak for them selves this case was not a fair case and neither was the trial my father was imprisoned because of his prior record from when he was a younger man which has no bearing on this case! My father Thomas Russell Evans Jr. Is a great father husband and a great man he raised three boys and has been married for over 25 years and would never ever harm a woman no matter the situation he raised his three kids the same way respect the people around you and especially women. This is absolutely disgusting that the d.a the police and the reporter all lie about this case!
Hope this ANIMAL never sees day light again and rots in jail.
I whole heartedly believe my brother in law is innocent. His case is currently being reviewed by the S.J.C. I have been an Evans for 28 years and have never seen an ounce of violence come from him….I love him with all my heart and totally agree with my nephew Christopher….If he wanted her money he would have just taking it….Not beat her to death, sorry for your loss Dorethy family but the wrong person is behind bars!!!
I knew Tommy Evans for years aswell as the family,I grew up right accross the street from them..Tommy was the kind of man who would cook breafast for every kid in the neighborhood and still have some to feed the birds…He is a loving father and his kids were his world…This conviction is a farce and While it is sad a lady is dead,people should want to convict to correct person…