Mass. man who partied and then murdered neighbor as a teen asks for parole

A Massachusetts man convicted in 1991 of murdering his neighbor after a party on the day after Christmas was denied parole for a third time by state officials earlier this month.

Christopher Berry, 53, has served 37 years of his life sentence for the killing of his Saugus neighbor, 87-year-old Virginia Woodward, on Dec. 26, 1987.

Berry, then a 16-year-old, hosted a small party at his home, drinking beer and smoking marijuana, as well as consuming Xanax and mescaline, before getting into a physical altercation with his father, according to documents filed with the state’s parole board.

After the fight, his father physically removed him from the apartment and told him not to come back. Berry then decided to break into Woodward’s home, located across the street, to steal property and money.

“After gaining entry, Mr. Berrry went into her kitchen and drank vodka,” parole documents state. “He then found Ms. Woodward lying in bed. With a butcher knife, Mr. Berry stabbed Ms. Woodward eight times in her head, chest, abdomen, upper arms, and hands. Mr. Berry then smoked a cigarette, which he extinguished on her forehead.”

Berry went home, and after authorities learned of Woodward’s death the following day, he was arrested shortly after.

On Aug. 13, the state’s parole board denied Berry parole and he is eligible for another review in two years. It’s the third time since 2015 that state officials have denied him parole.

Court decision grants possibility of parole

An Essex County jury found Berry guilty of first-degree murder on Oct. 4, 1991, and a judge sentenced him to life in prison without possibility of parole. He was also convicted of armed burglary with assault on an occupant and sentenced to a concurrent term in prison.

In 2013, however, the state’s Supreme Judicial Court made Berry and other defendants sentenced to life without parole as juveniles eligible for parole consideration after 15 years following its decision in the case of Commonwealth v. Diatchenko.

Berry appeared before the parole board in February and attorney Courtney Kenyon represented him, according to parole board documents.

What did parole board say?

The board’s decision found that “Mr. Berry needs continued work on self-development, specifically regarding his judgment and coping skills.”

The parole board said Berry continues to struggle with substance use and anger. The decision states he is encouraged to pursue programming to address his decision-making, coping skills, relapse prevention, and anger.

He is also encouraged to provide confirmation of renunciation from gang affiliation, the board wrote.

The parole board heard opposition testimony from Essex County Assistant District Attorney Dawn Masterson in opposition to parole, the decision states.