A Somerville man has been found guilty of murder in the first degree for the October 2, 2009 stabbing death of Sheila Dos Santos, 26, of Everett, Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone informed the public.

Antonio Marcos Ferreira, 41, of Somerville, was found guilty by a Middlesex Superior Court jury on a change of murder in the first degree. Middlesex Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Fahey sentenced Ferreira to life in prison without the eligibility of parole.

“This defendant has now been convicted of planning and executing the brutal fatal stabbing of a young woman in a troubling domestic violence case where the defendant attempted to exert power and control over the victim after she choose to end their relationship,” District Attorney Leone said.  “I commend the jury for their just verdict today, ensuring that this defendant will be sentenced to life in prison without the eligibility for parole.  Our thoughts remain with the victim’s family and friends who have showed immense courage throughout the criminal justice system process and testified against the defendant in hopes of seeking justice for the victim, which they received today.”

According to authorities, on Friday, October 2, 2009, Everett Police responded to a 911 call which had been made at 4:32 a.m. reporting a woman with multiple stab wounds.  Police went to 154 Main Street in response to the call and discovered the victim, later identified as Sheila Dos Santos.  She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The victim was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and an autopsy was performed.  The ME ruled the victim’s death a homicide caused by multiple stab wounds.  Authorities determined the victim had been stabbed over 37 times

Everett Police and Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office commenced an investigation into the circumstances of the stabbing.

Based on that investigation, authorities determined that the defendant stabbed the victim outside her apartment multiple times earlier in the morning.  The defendant and victim had a dating relationship which the victim had stopped several months before the homicide occurred.

The defendant continued to pursue a dating relationship with the victim, which she had rebuffed.  The defendant told the victim that if she was not going to date him, then she would not be able to date anyone.  He additionally threatened to kill himself or her if she did not have a relationship with him.

During the investigation, surveillance video from the murder scene was recovered and shows the defendant’s vehicle in area where the victim was killed as well as video of the defendant at the scene.

Later in the day on October 2, 2009, police obtained search warrants for the defendant’s apartment.  Authorities discovered a pair of sneakers inside the defendant’s bedroom, one of which had a visible blood stain.  Further testing determined that the stain on the defendant’s sneaker was the victim’s blood.

The defendant was arrested on October 9, 2009 in Charlestown and charged with first degree murder.  He was arraigned on October 13, 2009 in Malden District Court and ordered held without bail.  He was indicted by a Middlesex Superior Court Grand Jury on November 19, 2009 and arraigned in Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn on December 2, 2009 where Judge Sandra Hamlin ordered him held without bail.

The prosecutors assigned to the case are Assistant District Attorney Adrienne Lynch and Assistant District Attorney James Mulcahy.  The Victim Witness Advocates are Theresa Corcoran, Susie Marshall, and Dottie Berrios.  The case was investigated by Everett Police and the Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office.