A Massachusetts high school senior is facing murder charges for allegedly killing a woman on Thursday afternoon.Anthony DeMayo, 18, was charged with murder.Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker said DeMayo is a senior at Bishop Fenwick High School in Peabody, about 20 miles north of Boston.In a press conference Thursday night, Tucker said that police received a 911 call for a report of a young man with a knife walking on a street in nearby Lynn, Massachusetts.Responding officers observed the man, later identified as DeMayo, holding a knife in his hand with what appeared to be a reddish-brown stain on the knife.Tucker said DeMayo was acting erratically at the scene and was taken to Salem Hospital.Shortly thereafter, the district attorney’s office said information was developed that led Lynn and the Massachusetts State Police detectives to DeMayo’s home in Lynn.Based on evidence found in his home during a search warrant, Lynn officers contacted the Danvers Police Department to investigate 17 Amherst St., according to Tucker.A well-being check was conducted at that address.Responding officers entered the home and found Janet Swallow, 68, deceased. She leaves behind two sons.The district attorney’s office said her injuries were consistent with those of a homicide. Police then took DeMayo into custody at Salem Hospital.He will be arraigned in Salem District Court on Friday.Officials said there is no known connection between DeMayo and Swallow.”This was a difficult case because of the randomness of this violence,” Tucker said. No further information was immediately available.
A Massachusetts high school senior is facing murder charges for allegedly killing a woman on Thursday afternoon.
Anthony DeMayo, 18, was charged with murder.
Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker said DeMayo is a senior at Bishop Fenwick High School in Peabody, about 20 miles north of Boston.
In a press conference Thursday night, Tucker said that police received a 911 call for a report of a young man with a knife walking on a street in nearby Lynn, Massachusetts.
Responding officers observed the man, later identified as DeMayo, holding a knife in his hand with what appeared to be a reddish-brown stain on the knife.
Tucker said DeMayo was acting erratically at the scene and was taken to Salem Hospital.
Shortly thereafter, the district attorney’s office said information was developed that led Lynn and the Massachusetts State Police detectives to DeMayo’s home in Lynn.
Based on evidence found in his home during a search warrant, Lynn officers contacted the Danvers Police Department to investigate 17 Amherst St., according to Tucker.
A well-being check was conducted at that address.
Responding officers entered the home and found Janet Swallow, 68, deceased. She leaves behind two sons.
The district attorney’s office said her injuries were consistent with those of a homicide.
Police then took DeMayo into custody at Salem Hospital.
He will be arraigned in Salem District Court on Friday.
Officials said there is no known connection between DeMayo and Swallow.
“This was a difficult case because of the randomness of this violence,” Tucker said.
No further information was immediately available.
