A Somerville man has been sentenced after being found guilty in connection with the January 17, 2009 murder of Romeo Murray, 17, Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone informed the public.

Joseph Palmisano, 23, of Somerville, was found guilty yesterday by a Middlesex Superior Court jury on charges of murder in the second degree and one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Middlesex Superior Court Judge Howard Whitehead sentenced the defendant to life in prison with the eligibility of parole for the murder charge and 4 to 6 years in state prison for the assault and battery with a dangerous weapon charge.

According to authorities, at approximately 2 a.m. on January 17, 2009, Somerville Police responded to reports of a stabbing at the La Quinta Inn at 23 Cummings Street in Somerville. When police arrived, they found two victims suffering from apparent stab wounds.

The victims were transported to a Boston hospital. Murray, of Malden, was pronounced dead at the hospital.  The second victim was treated and released from the hospital.

Somerville Police and State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office commenced an investigation into the circumstances of the incident.

Authorities determined that the defendant and the victims were attending a party at the La Quinta Inn in Somerville when a fight broke out amongst people who were attending separate parties in two hotel rooms. During the fight, the defendant stabbed one of the victims in his back. Authorities determined that after the fight had subsided, the two victims entered an elevator and closed the door. The elevator door quickly reopened and it is at this time the defendant stabbed Murray.

Later in the morning of January 17, police arrested Palmisano and charged him with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon relating to the stabbing of the surviving victim.

Somerville Police and Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office continued to investigate the circumstances of the stabbings, and that investigation resulted in the murder charge against Palmisano in connection with the death of Murray.

Palmisano was arraigned on January 20 in Somerville District Court and was ordered held without bail. He was indicted by a Middlesex Grand Jury on March 5, 2009 and arraigned on March 20 where Clerk Magistrate Michael Sullivan held the defendant without bail.

The prosecutors assigned to this case are Lead Prosecutor Adrienne Lynch and ADA Deborah Bercovitch, and the Victim Witness Advocate is Daniela Bianco.

(press release from Middlesex District Attorney’s office)