Thursday, 4:30 PM
Man sentenced to life in prison for slaying of witness
By John R. Ellement, Globe staff
Mercedes Serret's life is without music anymore.
"When I go someplace and there is music playing I cry, because it reminds me of him," Serret said through a Spanish language interpreter today.
Mercedes was in Suffolk Superior Court giving a victim impact statement on behalf of her son Edward who was murdered in Boston on Oct 6, 2004.
Helder Barbosa was convicted of first degree murder on Friday for shooting Edward Serret to death. He was also convicted of nearly killing a friend of Serret's who was with him at the time.
According to Suffolk district attorney Daniel F Conley's office, Barbosa murdered Serret and shot the other man to silence them because they had witnessed Barbosa commit another shooting two weeks earlier.
In the victim impact statement prepared by Mercedes Serret she said, "The death of my son affected me deeply. I thought I was going to lose my mind because my son's death left a big void in my heart. I have never been the same since."
The mother said that she never listens to music anymore because the sound reminds her of her son.
Superior Court Judge Margaret Hinkle sentenced Barbosa to the mandatory life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for a first degree murder conviction.
She also sentenced him to additional prison time that is technically to be served after the murder sentence because Barbosa victimized two people
Serrett said she is relieved that Barbosa has been convicted, "I wanted the heavy hand of the law to fall down on him because a murderer like him should not be out on the street killing anymore people," she said. "He killed my son as if my son was an animal."
Barbosa's conviction will automatically be reviewed by the Supreme Judicial Court.
Mercedes Serret's life is without music anymore.
"When I go someplace and there is music playing I cry, because it reminds me of him," Serret said through a Spanish language interpreter today.
Mercedes was in Suffolk Superior Court giving a victim impact statement on behalf of her son Edward who was murdered in Boston on Oct 6, 2004.
