May 31, 2023
A Lawrence man pleaded guilty to manslaughter Wednesday for a 2020 shooting on Newton St. that left one man dead and two others wounded, Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker announced.
Hector Baez, 25, was sentenced to 22-to-26 years in prison, 18-to-20 years on the manslaughter charge followed by another four-to-six years on a series of assault and battery and carrying a firearm without a license charges.
The plea was accepted by Judge Janice Howe in Lawrence Superior Court just as Baez was slated to face a jury trial on a first-degree murder charge.
Baez was charged with killing Delvis Paulino-Fernandez, 26, of Lawrence by shooting him on Newton Street in Lawrence on May 3, 2020. The two others shot while the group was attending an outdoor gathering were treated and released at Lawrence General Hospital.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Alexander Grimes, A.J. Camelio and Emily Mello, with assistance from Sgt. Matthew Wilson of the Massachusetts State Police and Detective William Colantuoni from the Lawrence Police Department.
Baez was represented by attorneys Christopher Federico and John McLaughlin, both of Danvers.