Feb. 9, 2016
For Immediate Release
Contact: Paul Jarvey (508) 368-7241
WORCESTER — A Worcester Superior Court jury today found Dax A. Gibson guilty of first-degree murder in the 2013 shooting death of Luis R. Rodriguez in Fitchburg, according to Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.
Mr. Gibson, 39, of 365 Elm St., Gardner, shot Mr. Rodriguez, 26, three times on June 21, 2013 in Mr. Rodriguez’s apartment at 82 Marshall St. Mr. Rodriguez ran from the apartment and was found bleeding on a neighbor’s porch a short time later. He was taken to Leominster Hospital and was pronounced dead.
Mr. Gibson fled to New York, then to Richmond, Va., where he was arrested a little over a month after the slaying.
The murder was part of a home invasion and robbery.
Dinkue Brown, 29, of 33 Adams St., Fitchburg, is also charged with Mr. Rodriguez’s murder and is awaiting trial.
Joseph Dale, a co-defendant of Mr. Gibson, was found not guilty of three counts of kidnapping.
Besides murder, Mr. Gibson was also found guilty of home invasion, armed assault to rob, possession of a firearm without an FID card, possession of ammunition without an FID card and possession of a loaded firearm not at home or work.
He was found not guilty of threatening to commit a crime and three counts of kidnapping.
Judge Richard Tucker continued his case to Feb. 29 for sentencing and consideration of enhanced penalties contained in the armed career criminal portion of the firearm and ammo possession charges. He faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.
“This was a difficult and complicated case,” Mr. Early said. “The jury got it right.”
He praised the work of the prosecution team of Assistant District Attorneys Michael D. McHugh, Daniel J. Guerra and Susan Oftring as well as investigators, including State Police Detectives assigned to the District Attorney’s Office, Fitchburg Police, the State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section and the State Police Gang Unit.