SALEM — Two men charged with murder in connection with the 2016 fatal shooting of Phillip Russo, 24, of Lynn, have pleaded guilty in Salem Superior Court.
Micheal Tate, 33, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Tuesday, and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 18 years by Judge Thomas Drechsler.
Edwin Flores, 30, pleaded guilty on Friday, Feb. 18 to second-degree murder, and was sentenced to life in prison by Judge Drechsler with the possibility of parole in 15 years, according to the Essex County District Attorney’s office.
In the early morning hours of July 11, 2016, the victim was hosting a party in his apartment on Kingsley Terrace. Flores and the victim got into a verbal argument, which then escalated into a fight outside. The victim retreated into his apartment while Flores remained outside. Witnesses overheard Flores calling his friend, co-defendant Tate, on the phone and telling him to bring his gun, the DA’s office said.
Tate arrived at the party with a firearm. The victim ran onto the street and Tate chased after him on foot, while Flores followed behind Tate unarmed. Tate fired one shot that killed the victim, the DA’s office said.
If the case had gone to court, Essex Assistant Attorney Kelleen Forlizzi would have introduced this evidence.
ADA Forlizzi was assisted by Essex ADA Lindsay Nasson and Essex Victim Advocate Cristina Garcia. Essex State Police Detectives Sgt. Robert Demeo, Troopers Matthew Murphy and Joshua Ulrich, and Lynn Police Lt. Michael Kmiec, Capt. Chris Kelly, and Deputy Police Chief Mark O’Toole investigated.
