By George P. Hassett

A Somerville man pled guilty to second degree murder and sentenced to life in prison today for the 2004 murder of 16 year old Ryan Sullivan.

Van Gustave, 26, was charged with murder, two counts of assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Judge Jane Haggerty sentenced him to life in prison with possibility for parole after 15 years.

He was also sentenced to serve a concurrent term in state prison of 10-12 years for the attack of Jules Stevens and seven to eight years in state prison for the attack of William Tighe.

Another Somerville man, Joseph Spinucci, was found guilty of murder in the first degree by a Middlesex Superior Court jury and sentenced to life in prison June 22 in connection with the same incident.

“These senseless incidents caused the death and serious injury of these young men who tragically just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time,” Middlesex County District Attorney Gerard T. Leone said. “It was important that both men be held accountable for their horrific actions and these murder convictions and life sentences do just that.”

Somerville Police responded to a report of a stabbing on Warwick Street  at approximately 11:10 p.m. on July 1, 2004  and encountered three male victims all suffering stab wounds. Sullivan and Stevens, 17, of Somerville, were both transported to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Sullivan was pronounced dead shortly after arrival at the hospital. Stevens was treated and later released.   

The third victim, Tighe, 19, also of Somerville, was transported to Somerville Hospital, where he was treated and released.  Somerville Police contacted State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney‚Äôs Office, and they immediately began an investigation.  Authorities believe that Gustave and Spinucci became embroiled in a verbal altercation with Tighe, which escalated and ultimately resulted in the stabbings.

Gustave and Spinucci, 27, were both arrested the next day without incident. They were both arraigned in Somerville District Court and charged with three counts of armed assault with intent to murder, and three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Charges against the two men were upgraded to murder on July 7, 2004. At arraignment both defendants pled not guilty, and they were ordered held without bail. 

They were indicted by a Middlesex Grand Jury Sept. 9, 2004. 

Spinucci was found guilty of murder in the first degree by a Middlesex Superior Court jury and sentenced to life in prison by Judge Paul Chernoff on June 22, 2006. He was also sentenced to serve a concurrent 9-10 years for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury to be followed by another seven to eight year sentence for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.