
A man was convicted Tuesday of bludgeoning his 72-year-old mother to death with a fireplace log inside their West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, home in 2017, prosecutors said.
Danny Lopes Jr., 39, was found guilty in Plymouth Superior Court of first-degree murder for the killing of Julia Fernandes, which was discovered Aug. 27, 2017, according to the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office.
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The 72-year-old was found dead with "obvious signs of trauma" just about 6 p.m. at their home on Columbus Avenue, officials said at the time. She was initially identified as Lopes' late father's longtime girlfriend.
"She was found to have been bludgeoned to death about the head and at this point we believe the murder weapon was a fireplace log," District Attorney Timothy Cruz said at the time.
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Identified as a suspect, Lopes was tracked to North Providence, Rhode Island, where he was arrested, prosecutors said.
During the 12-day trial, the jury was told about the log that investigators found at the scene. After two-and-a-half hours, they found him guilty. He's also been found guilty of intimidating a witness who'd testified before the grand jury by sending a threatening letter from jail, prosecutors said.
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Lopes is due back in court for sentencing on March 1.