West Bridgewater Man Convicted of Killing His Mother With Fireplace Log

A West Bridgewater man was found guilty today of murdering his mother after beating her death with a fireplace log in 2017.

According to Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz, a jury deliberated for two and a half hours following a 12-day trial before finding Danny J. Lopes, 39, guilty of first degree murder under premeditation and extreme cruelty.

The murder took place on August 27, 2017, at the victim’s home at 93 Columbus Avenue. Police arrived to find Julia Fernandes, 72, with obvious signs of trauma. She was later pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical personnel.

The medical examiner later determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma and ruled the death a homicide.

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West Bridgewater Police and Massachusetts State Police began the investigation, and a search warrant was obtained for the home as well as an arrest warrant for Lopes, the sole suspect in his mother’s murder.

A BOLO alert was issued for Lopes and the vehicle he was traveling in, and he was later located and arrested in North Providence, Rhode Island.

During his trial, Cruz said in a release, jurors heard details about how Fernandes was found bludgeoned to death with a fireplace log investigators found at the scene.

Lopes was also found guilty of one count witness intimidation after he sent a threatening letter from jail to a witness who testified before the grand jury.

Lopes will be sentenced on March 1 in Plymouth Superior Court.