In the early morning hours of July 5, 2020, a dispute over a restaurant bill in Worcester, Massachusetts, escalated into a fatal act of violence, claiming the life of 24-year-old Hispanic male, Joshua Lopez. The young man was seated in the back of a vehicle on Almont Avenue when he was shot. Rushed to a local hospital, he succumbed to his injuries the following day, on July 6, 2020.
The investigation into the shooting quickly led to the identification of a suspect, Leroy L.
Thompson Jr., a 25-year-old acquaintance of Lopez. It was determined that an argument between Thompson and the other occupants of the car over the payment of a restaurant bill preceded the shooting. Following the altercation, Thompson retrieved a gun and fired a single shot into the vehicle, striking Lopez. Tragically, a minor child was also in the backseat at the time of the incident but was unharmed.
Leroy L. Thompson Jr. was arrested and faced a series of charges, including murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and multiple firearms offenses. On September 21, 2020, he was indicted on the charge of murder. During the trial, it was revealed that Thompson had a history of mental health issues. In August 2025, a Worcester County Superior Court jury found Thompson guilty of second-degree murder and reckless endangerment of a child.
Subsequently, Leroy L. Thompson Jr. was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Joshua Lopez. He will be eligible for parole after serving 20 years. For the charge of reckless endangerment of a child, he received a concurrent sentence of two and a half years. Even in his untimely death, Joshua Lopez's legacy continued through an act of generosity; his organs were donated to help others in need.
