Worcester, MA – A jury has found 30-year-old Leroy L. Thompson Jr. guilty of second-degree murder in the 2020 killing of Joshua Lopez, Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. announced.
Thompson was also convicted of reckless endangerment of a child. Prosecutors said Lopez, 24, was shot on July 5, 2020, while sitting in the backseat of a vehicle on Almont Avenue. A minor child was in the car at the time. Lopez died the following day.
The verdict came after a trial in Worcester County Superior Court. District Attorney Early credited Worcester Police, Assistant District Attorneys Timothy Westerman and George Somi, and Victim Witness Advocate Margaret Rwaramba for their work on the case.
Worcester Police Chief Paul Saucier said the department remains committed to seeking justice for victims and their families, and praised the partnership with the DA’s office.
Key Points
- Leroy L. Thompson Jr., 30, convicted of second-degree murder and reckless endangerment of a child
- Victim Joshua Lopez, 24, was shot in a car with a minor child present on July 5, 2020
- Lopez died the following day; jury returned guilty verdict after trial