Worcester Police

By Josh Lanier From Daily Voice

A Worcester County Superior Court jury has found a man guilty in the fatal shooting of Joshua Lopez in 2020.

Leroy L. Thompson Jr., 30, of Worcester, was convicted of second-degree murder and reckless endangerment of a child on Thursday, Aug. 7, the Worcester County District Attorney's Office said. 

The shooting occurred early on July 5, 2020, when Lopez, 24, was shot while sitting in the backseat of a car on Almont Avenue in Worcester. A child was also in the vehicle at the time. Lopez succumbed to his injuries on July 6, 2020.

The deadly incident followed an argument between Thompson and Lopez, as well as a group of others, over the payment of a restaurant bill, according to police reports.

Worcester Superior Court Judge Valerie Yarashus will sentence Thompson on Sept. 24. The case has drawn significant attention, with both the community and local law enforcement hoping for justice for Lopez and his family.

Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early, Jr. praised the efforts of the Worcester Police Department, Assistant District Attorneys Timothy Westerman and George Somi, and Victim Witness Advocate Margaret Rwaramba for their work on the case. 

Worcester Police Chief Paul Saucier also expressed gratitude for the dedicated efforts of the department. “The WPD values our partnership with District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. and his staff of talented prosecutors who also demand closure for the loved ones of heinous crime victims," he said.