Worcester jury convicts man of second-degree murder in 2020 grafton hill stabbing

WORCESTER, Mass. – A Worcester County Superior Court jury has convicted 26-year-old Benjamin Willie of second-degree murder in the 2020 fatal stabbing of 29-year-old Josue Rios, Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. announced Friday.

In addition to the murder conviction, Willie was found guilty of two counts of malicious destruction of a motor vehicle. Sentencing is scheduled for July 28.

Fatal confrontation followed tire-slashing

According to prosecutors, the incident occurred on June 30, 2020, in Worcester’s Grafton Hill neighborhood. Authorities said Willie was slashing the tires of parked vehicles when Rios confronted him, leading to an altercation.

During the confrontation, prosecutors said Willie stabbed Rios. The victim was transported to UMass Memorial Hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

Willie was initially arraigned on July 1, 2020, in Worcester Central District Court on charges including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury and destruction of property. After Rios died, the assault charge was upgraded to second-degree murder, and a Worcester County grand jury indicted Willie on Nov. 12, 2020.

District attorney praises prosecution and investigators

District Attorney Early commended the prosecution team and investigators following the verdict.

“Assistant District Attorneys Joseph Simmons, Rose-Ellen El Khoury, and Alexander Van Den Eynde, and Victim Witness Advocate Maria Deyette, did an outstanding job on this case,” Early said. “I also want to thank the Worcester Police Department for their thorough investigative work and unwavering commitment to this case. Their efforts, together with those of our prosecutors, made today’s conviction possible.”

He also thanked the jurors “for their careful attention to the evidence and thoughtful deliberations.”

Why it matters

The conviction concludes the trial phase of a homicide case that has been pending for six years. Sentencing later this month will determine Willie’s punishment under Massachusetts law for the second-degree murder conviction.

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