man charged in 1988 South Boston murder trial
man accused in 1988 South Boston homicide case.
Accident – Death – Obituary News : Jury selection is set to commence on Monday in the trial of a 61-year-old convicted sex offender accused of strangulating a woman and discarding her body in the basement of a South Boston building in 1988, as stated by the Suffolk district attorney’s office.
Richard Vega, who also goes by the alias Ricardo Mazzarino, faces a charge of first-degree murder for the alleged killing of Judy Chamberlain, according to the Suffolk district attorney’s office. Chamberlain’s remains were discovered by a maintenance worker in a large sump pump in the basement of the Fargo Building at 451 D St. on July 20, 1988.
The building has since been revamped into a striking residential and commercial property in what is now known as the Seaport District, as reported by the Globe.
During Chamberlain’s autopsy, investigators collected biological evidence indicating that she was sexually assaulted by her assailant within 24 hours of her last sighting alive, prosecutors revealed. Subsequently, authorities submitted a DNA sample obtained during the initial inquiry to the FBI’s Combined DNA Indexing System, which cross-references genetic material from unidentified perpetrators with the DNA profiles of known offenders.
Vega emerged as a suspect in 2011 when the CODIS database linked the suspected killer’s DNA to Vega’s profile, prosecutors disclosed. Following his 1990 conviction on three counts of rape in connection with a 1987 assault on a 72-year-old woman in Revere, Vega was sentenced to 19 and a half to 20 years in state prison, prosecutors added. Prior to his release, Suffolk prosecutors petitioned for his civil commitment under the state’s Sexually Dangerous Person statute. A jury found him to be sexually dangerous in 2008, and he has been under commitment since that time, according to prosecutors.
Upon the DNA match uncovering new evidence, including witness testimony linking Vega to the Fargo Building where he had worked as a flooring subcontractor, authorities re-examined Chamberlain’s murder. They presented the evidence to a Suffolk County grand jury, which on August 30, 2021, issued an indictment charging Vega with Chamberlain’s murder.
District Attorney Kevin Hayden expressed, “This trial signifies a positive outcome for DNA science and the diligent investigators who worked on this heinous crime both initially and upon the discovery of new evidence. Most importantly, it is a solemn moment for Judy Chamberlain’s family and friends, who after many years, will finally see a defendant held accountable for Judy’s tragic demise.”
Vega’s lawyer, Tim Bradl, did not respond immediately to a request for comment on Sunday night.
Chamberlain’s brother previously conveyed his family’s relief over Vega being charged with his sister’s murder, as reported by the Globe. “Our family has waited 33 years for someone to be arrested for the brutal death of our sister Judy,” he stated in 2021. “We thank all those involved in his capture. Our sister can now rest in peace, and our family has closure. We love and miss you Judy.”
Adam Sennott can be contacted at adam.sennott@globe.com..
man charged in 1988 South Boston strangling
1988 South Boston strangling charged man.
