The family of a 15-year-old Massachusetts boy whose murder was solved more than 40 years later has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the three men responsible, reports the Lowell Sun, a regional news outlet.
According to the source, John McCabe was kidnapped and found strangled to death in the middle of a Lowell field on September 27, 1969. Finally, in 2011, law enforcement officials were able to secure a confession from Edward Brown, who testified against Michael Ferreira and Walter Shelley — the two other men involved — in exchange for a lesser charge. The news outlet notes that Ferreira was found not guilty and Shelley was convicted of first-degree murder.
Michael Gallagher, the accident attorney representing the plaintiffs, said that even though the three men have already been been tried in criminal court, the civil process "can now be employed to get the full story to find out what happened and why, and to hold everyone involved in Johnny's death accountable," reports the source. Gallagher also added that since Shelley didn't testify at his trial, the civil case will provide an opportunity for McCabe's family members to hear him answer important questions under oath.
The lawsuit seeks "$10 million for the loss of consortium and for the pain and suffering [the victim] suffered before his death," states the news outlet.
To determine if you have grounds to file a wrongful death lawsuit in Missouri, it is in your best interest to find skilled personal injury lawyers in Kansas City as soon as possible. These experienced professionals can assist you through the complex legal process and help you recover damages to which you may be entitled.