Jerome Street Murder Suspect Indicted

Medford resident Johnny Hatch, right, was murdered in February.

– Allison Goldsberry

A 37-year-old Charlestown man has been indicted for murder in an armed home invasion and double shooting on Jerome Street that ended in the death of Medford resident Johnny Hatch in February.

According to Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone, DNA linked Gerald Sullivan to the scene. Sullivan was indicted by a Middlesex County Grand Jury Thursday on charges of murder, home invasion (2 counts), armed assault to murder, armed assault to rob, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, possession of a firearm as an armed career criminal, possession of ammunition as an armed career criminal, and being a habitual offender (5 counts).

A warrant has been issued for Sullivan’s arrest. Authorities are also still looking for the second suspect and anyone with information is encouraged to contact Medford Police at 781-391-6767 or State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office at 781-897-6600.

“We allege that the defendant shot and killed the victim and severely injured a second victim, who still to this day has bullet fragments in his brain,” District Attorney Leone said. “This arrest is the result of outstanding work by the Medford Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, and the Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab who were able to identify this defendant through the CODIS DNA profile system.”

According to authorities, on February 18, 2011 at approximately 10:30 pm, Medford Police received a 911 call for a robbery in progress from a woman who resided at 55B Jerome Street. Upon arrival, officers observed the female 911 caller, and two victims evidencing obvious injuries, in the home.

The two victims were transported to the hospital and one of the victims, Johnny Hatch, 37, who also resided at the home, died as a result of his injuries. The second victim survived despite his serious injuries.

Police believe the victims and the woman were inside their home when the suspects knocked on the door. When the second victim opened the door, two masked men pushed through the doorway and immediately demanded money and jewelry. A struggle ensued and the armed defendant is alleged to have shot both victims.

Medford Police and State Police began an immediate investigation into the circumstances of the incident and processed the scene. As a result of processing the scene, authorities located items that were subsequently tested for DNA. The same profile was extracted from three items and that profile was run through the national CODIS system and was matched by CODIS to an offender, the defendant, in the database.

According to information from DA Leone, the CODIS DNA database is a system funded by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that stores DNA profiles created by federal, state, and local crime laboratories in the United States, with the ability to search the database to assist in the identification of suspects in crimes.