Feb. 15, 1994, unknown cause.
Mr. Harkins, a popular local athlete, was called from Suney’s Pub on Chandler Street about 10:30 p.m. on Feb. 15, 1994 and never heard from again.
According to trial testimony in 2014, Mr. Harkins had reneged on his agreement to give false statements in the drug trial of John Fredette in exchange for a large quantity of cocaine.
His disappearance sparked an intense investigation, but police never recovered his body. He was declared dead in 2008 in Worcester Probate and Family Court.
In early 2013, Matteo Trotto, John Fredette and Elias Samia were indicted for the murder of Mr. Harkins.
Matteo Trotto guilty of murder in 1994 case
WORCESTER- A jury convicted Matteo Trotto of first-degree murder Friday in the 1994 slaying of Kevin Harkins. Members of Mr. Harkins’ family wept as the verdict was announced shortly after noon in Worcester Superior Court. Mr. Trotto, 49, one of three men indicted two years ago on murder charges in the case, showed no emotion.
John Fredette found guilty of felony murder in the first degree for 20-year-old Worcester murder
John Fredette A Worcester jury found John Fredette guilty of felony murder in the first degree Tuesday afternoon. (Sam Bonacci, MassLive.com) WORCESTER – A jury has found John Fredette guilty of felony murder in the first-degree in the death of Kevin Harkins 20 years after Harkins was reported missing.
Jury convicts Elias Samia of first-degree murder in 1994 case
WORCESTER – Elias Samia was found guilty of first-degree murder Thursday in the 1994 slaying of Kevin Harkins. A Worcester Superior Court jury deliberated for about 21½ hours over four days before returning its guilty verdict shortly after 2 p.m. in a packed courtroom.
A Worcester Superior Court jury found Mr. Trotto guilty of first-degree murder on May 30, 2014. Mr. Fredette was found guilty a month later; a jury returned a guilty verdict against Mr. Samia that November. All three men were sentenced to life in prison without parole.