1. Springfield men convicted in 2019 home invasion and torture case
2. Conviction of two Springfield residents for home invasion and torturing victim in 2019.
Accident – Death – Obituary News : SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Two individuals from Springfield, Paul Gayle, aged 30, and Malik Erskine, aged 24, have been found guilty by a Hampden County Superior Court jury in connection to a harrowing home invasion that took place in September 2019. The victim of the invasion was subjected to brutal beatings, torture, and burns during the terrifying incident.
According to a spokesperson for the Hampden County District Attorney, Jim Leydon, a third person involved in the crime, who is a juvenile, was also convicted alongside Gayle and Erskine. The charges that the two men have been found guilty of are extensive and severe, including home invasion, armed assault in a dwelling, armed robbery, kidnapping, mayhem, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, extortion, motor vehicle larceny, money laundering conspiracy, witness intimidation, and threats to commit a crime.
The incident unfolded on September 30, 2019, when a Springfield police officer was flagged down by a distressed individual on Roosevelt Avenue. Upon arrival, officers discovered an adult male victim who had sustained burns all over his body. The victim recounted how several assailants had broken into his residence with the intention to rob him, coercing him to electronically transfer $4,000 to a third party’s account.
The perpetrators proceeded to restrain the victim with zip ties and subjected him to torture using an accelerant and ignition, resulting in severe burns. The victim was rushed to Baystate Medical Center for treatment and later transferred to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston due to the extent of his injuries, which covered 60% of his body with second and third-degree burns.
Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni expressed his gratitude towards the Springfield Police Department for their diligent investigation leading to the apprehension of the suspects. He also commended the efforts of Assistant District Attorney Jeffrey Schlemmer in prosecuting the case, alongside Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Plummer and appellate counsel Assistant District Attorney Joe Coliflores. Gulluni emphasized the significant physical and mental trauma endured by the victim and hoped that the verdict would provide some semblance of justice for the victim as he copes with the aftermath of the barbaric attack.
The sentencing for Paul Gayle and Malik Erskine has been scheduled for June 27 in Hampden Superior Court. The community awaits the outcome of the sentencing as justice is sought for the victim who continues to grapple with the traumatic repercussions of the despicable home invasion.
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– Springfield men found guilty 2019 home invasion torturing victim
– Springfield men guilty home invasion torturing victim.
