Wright gets two life terms for double murder

SALEM – A Lynn man was sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison after being convicted of murdering his mother and grandmother in 2012.”if ever there was a cruel and atrocious murder, these were that,” Salem Superior Court Judge Howard Whitehead said before sentencing. “I just don’t understand why these killings took place.”Joseph Wright III, 25, was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder with extreme atrocity or cruelty in the April 30, 2012 deaths of Donna Breau, 54, and Melba Trahant, 83.Breau was Wright’s mother and Trahant his grandmother.Wright had admitted to killing both women at the family’s home at 94 Sheridan St. in Lynn. Wright testified Friday that he first killed Breau by slashing her throat with a kitchen knife then went downstairs and killed his grandmother the same way, thinking she noticed his blood-covered clothing and was calling police.Wright subsequently dropped the bodies behind the Lynnhurst Elementary School in Saugus and drove in Trahant’s car to Canada, where he was arrested after trying to flee a border checkpoint.Defense Attorney John Morris said the killings were not premeditated as Wright was under the influence of drugs at the time.In arguing that the killings did not meet the requt of demonstrating extreme atrocity or cruelty, Morris said the killings were so “emotional” – a son killing his mother and grandson killing his grandmother – that they couldn’t have been committed if Wright weren’t on drugs.Essex Assistant District Attorney Michael Patten showed the jury photos of the deceased bodies with their throats cut to demonstrate extremely cruelty or atrocity.The jury returned a verdict of guilty on two counts of first-degree murder, each with extreme atrocity or cruelty.Wright sighed and put his head in his hands during the sentencing.Please see the complete story in Tuesday’s edition of The Daily Item.