A Lawrence man was found guilty on Wednesday of killing a 21-year-old in 2021, then trying to cover up the crime.
Josef Guillen, 23, was convicted by an Essex County jury of first-degree murder for fatally shooting Jeffrey Ruiz, 21, in 2021.
Guillen was also found guilty on two counts of possession of a large capacity feeding device and possession of ammunition without a firearms license card.
Guillen killed Ruiz on Dec. 5, 2021 near 40 Crosby St. in Lawrence, in what was supposed to be a planned meetup that turned violent.
During the course of his trial, prosecutors showed the jury texts, videos and data from cars about the planned meetup, along with extensive video footage of the incident.
In the hours after the shooting, Guillen got rid of his phone, vehicle and the gun and changed his appearance. Investigators later found shell casings at the scene of the crime that matched ammunition found in Guillen’s bedroom.
The Essex County District Attorney’s Office commended its prosecutors in the courtroom, along with the Lawrence Police Department and Massachusetts State Police.
Guillen’s sentencing was scheduled for Oct. 30.
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