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Joseph D. Early Jr.

Authorities in Gardner locate murder suspect’s car in wooded area

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Investigators have located the vehicle belonging to the Gardner man accused of killing his wife in their home Sunday.

A bow hunter on Monday night located a white BMW abandoned in a wooded area at Camp Collier, a camp that according to the Boy Scouts Troop 54 website serves Boy Scouts expeditions.

Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. confirmed the vehicle belonged to Aaron Pennington, 33, who is accused of killing his wife, Breanne Pennington, 30, in their Cherry Street home in Gardner Sunday morning.

“The vehicle was located by a hunter. So we’re asking anyone with trail cams, any hunters, any people with video cameras at their houses, please give it to the police,” Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. said in a press conference Tuesday afternoon. “It’s incredible how often that these tips help us solve crimes, find people. So we’re asking the public for all of their help right now.”

Gardner Police Chief Eric McAvene said at the same press conference that the areas authorities are most interested in seeing cam footage “in the old county area of Ashburnham, out to the Route 101 area.”

He said that anyone with footage or information to share should contact Gardner Police by calling 978-632-5600 or by contacting the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit for Worcester County at 508-832-9124.

The Pennington children are in the custody of the Department of Child and Family Services, Early said.

Early said that authorities are working under the assumption that Aaron Pennington is armed and dangerous and that professionals are tracking him “with an abundance of caution” and urged that “no one in the public go out and try and look for this guy.”

Police were looking for 33-year-old Aaron Pennington, who is wanted in connection with Sunday's homicide of 30-year-old Breanne Pennington in Gardner. (Massachusetts State Police photo)
Police were looking for 33-year-old Aaron Pennington, who is wanted in connection with Sunday’s homicide of 30-year-old Breanne Pennington in Gardner. (Massachusetts State Police photo)

Murder suspects indicted in Fitchburg home invasion

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WORCESTER — Two men were indicted for murder in connection with the fatal shooting of 62-year-old Michael Parks on July 28 in Fitchburg, and has been bumped up to Worcester Superior Court.

Thomas E. Martin, 45, of Fitchburg, and Christian Collins, 37, of Worcester, were indicted on charges of murder, home invasion, armed assault in a dwelling, assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm without an FID card by a Worcester County Grand Jury on Friday, according to Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early, Jr.

Martin was also indicted on a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

On July 28, Fitchburg police officers were called to a residence on Marshall Street in Fitchburg around 9:25 p.m. to investigate the report of a shooting. Officers located a shooting victim, identified as Michael Parks of Fitchburg. He was transported to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead.

Both men were originally arraigned on Aug. 4 in Fitchburg District Court on charges of murder and home invasion. They were ordered to be held without bail at that time. The indictments move the case against both men to Worcester Superior Court where arraignments will be held on a later date.

Martin and Collins were eventually taken into custody as a result of an investigation by the Fitchburg Police  and State Police detectives assigned to the Worcester DA’s office.

(Courtesy Worcester County District Attorney’s Office)

Fitchburg woman, Lancaster man indicted in organized retail theft operation

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A Lancaster man and Fitchburg woman have been indicted on charges related to leading an organized retail crime operation, Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. said Wednesday.

According to Early, 68-year-old John Duplease Jr., of Lancaster, and 43-year-old Penny Williams, of Fitchburg, were indicted by a Worcester County grand jury this week. Duplease was indicted on four counts including leader of organized retail theft enterprise, aggravated organized retail crime, organized retail crime and failure to secure a firearm. Williams was indicted for organized retail crime.

Duplease was arrested by Lancaster Police on May 8, 2021 after being investigated by Lancaster and Leominster police and Massachusetts State Police for more than a year. Authorities said Duplease had more than 20 individuals working with him to shoplift from local retail establishments. He allegedly stored the stolen items at his home in Lancaster and his business on Central Street in Leominster, before reselling them online.

Authorities said Williams worked for Duplease, receiving and paying for stolen property, in addition to shipping to resold merchandise.

Duplease and Williams were previously arraigned in Leominster District Court and were each released on $2,500 cash bail. Authorities said Duplease also faced charges in Clinton District Court.

The pair will be arraigned in Worcester Superior Court at a later date, where the indictment now moves the charges.

Shirley man charged in fatal Interstate 190 crash that killed Ayer teen

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LEOMINSTER — A Shirley man was arraigned in Leominster District Court on Tuesday in connection with a fatal October crash on Interstate 190 that killed a 16-year-old girl from Ayer.

According to statement from Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr., 19-year-old Christopher Filz was arraigned on charges of motor vehicle homicide by reckless operation, motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation, speeding and reckless operation of a motor vehicle.

Following the accident which occured on Oct. 6, State Police said troopers at the Leominster Barracks received calls about a single-vehicle rollover crash on Interstate 190 north in Leominster at approximately 7:10 p.m. The Mustang went off the highway, down an embankment and into the wood line, State Police said. Three passengers had to be extricated by the Leominster Fire Department.

According to Early’s statement, Filz was the driver of the Mustang. The passenger killed as a result of the crash was later identified as 16-year-old Krystal Mello of Ayer.

A 16-year-old girl from Shirley and an 16-year-old male from Bolton were also injured and taken to a Worcester hospital.

As part of the arraignment, Early said Filz was ordered not to drive and to stay away and have no contact with witnesses and family of the victim.

The case was continued to Jan. 5 and is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Anthony Melia.

The crash was investigated by Leominster Police, Massachusetts State Police troopers from the Leominster Barracks, the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, the State Police Crime Scene Services Section and the State Police detectives assigned to the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office.