Chelsea man convicted of killing his mother

October 28, 2008 07:10 PM Email| Comments (2)| Text size – +

By Jeannie M. Nuss, Globe Correspondent

A Chelsea man was convicted of first-degree murder today in the beating death of his mother with a hammer in August 2006, Suffolk County prosecutors said.

Norton Cartright, 21, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for beating his 46-year-old mother, Yolande Danestoir, with a hammer, stuffing her into a sleeping bag, and leaving her in a closet to die slowly in her Reynolds Street house in Chelsea on Aug. 25, 2006, District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said in a statement.

A Suffolk Superior Court jury convicted Cartright after a full day of deliberations. Judge Christine McEvoy ordered Cartright to serve a life sentence at the state prison in Walpole.

“This is a tragedy,” McEvoy said, “a family tragedy of epic proportions.”

Cartright attacked Danestoir after she found him in her house, violating her orders to stay out, Assistant District Attorney David Fredette said.

Cartright was the 31st person found guilty of homicide this year in Suffolk County, prosecutors sasid.

Cartright’s Boston-based attorney, Roger Witkin, did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

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2 comments so far...

WOW! you have to be really sick to do something like this to the person who brought you to this earth! May she rest in peace and may he rot in jail and be made to think of the consequences of his actions for the rest of his natural life!!

Posted by melissa October 29, 08 08:47 AM

Yolande was a friend of mine and I pray to God, may she rest in peace. Am glad she got justice. Act of such horrifying nature must be punished.

Posted by jk October 30, 08 12:36 AM