On the evening of September 19, 2011, a 23-year-old male named Kristopher Rosa was fatally shot in Avon, Massachusetts. He had just left his father's house with his girlfriend around 9:30 p.m. The couple, parents to a five-month-old son, were in their parked car when another vehicle approached. Several shots were fired from the other car, striking Kristopher. His girlfriend, who was unharmed, drove him to Good Samaritan hospital in Brockton, but he succumbed to his injuries.
This event marked the first homicide in the small town of Avon in 15 years.
Authorities quickly determined that the shooting was not a random act of violence, stating that Kristopher had been specifically targeted. Investigators found that he was known to the police, but his family could not comprehend why anyone would want to harm him, describing him as a hardworking father who was deeply loved. His death left his family, including his sister and father, searching for answers while mourning the loss of a man they said was always smiling. The tragedy also meant his infant son would grow up without knowing his father.
The investigation into the murder eventually uncovered a long-standing rivalry. Two men, Willie Wilkerson and his high school friend Rhandisyn Lawrence, were identified as suspects. The conflict stemmed from the fact that both Lawrence and Kristopher had been involved with the same woman, who was the mother of Kristopher's child. On the night of the shooting, Wilkerson and Lawrence were in communication multiple times. Almost two years after the incident, the case broke open when Wilkerson's girlfriend, Amanda Burgess, came forward to the police. She initially provided an alibi for Wilkerson but later admitted he had left their apartment around the time of the murder. She testified that he later told her he "did what he had to do" and she saw him hide a gun under their mattress.
This new information, combined with cell phone location data that placed Wilkerson in the vicinity of the crime, led to his arrest. Rhandisyn Lawrence was also arrested and indicted for his role in the murder. Ultimately, Willie Wilkerson was convicted of first-degree murder in the drive-by shooting of Kristopher Rosa. The trial concluded in June 2015, nearly four years after the crime. Wilkerson received a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
