October 22, 2026
First-Degree Murder Verdict in 2022 Paxton Woods Case
Headline card by The Night Desk
First-Degree Murder Verdict in 2022 Paxton Woods Case
WORCESTER, Mass. — A Superior Court jury has convicted Christopher Fuller of first-degree murder in the February 2022 shooting death of Ernest A. Appiah, ending an eight-day trial with a verdict delivered around noon on Thursday, Oct. 22.
The case
Fuller shot Appiah once in the chest in the early morning of Feb. 28, 2022, after the pair left the Centerfolds adult entertainment club in Worcester, Assistant District Attorney Timothy A. Westerman told jurors. The two men were in Fuller's car when Fuller fatally shot his acquaintance.
Appiah's body was dumped in snowy woods off Asnebumskit Road in Paxton. A woman walking her dog found the body a week later.
How investigators closed in
Investigators focused on Fuller after his own cell phone was found near the body in Paxton. Gun residue was also found in Fuller's car.
The defense's concession
In court, Fuller's lawyer acknowledged that Fuller gunned down Appiah — but argued the killing amounted to second-degree murder at most. The prosecution argued the shooting was premeditated, warranting a first-degree conviction.
The 12-member jury, which began deliberations Monday, sided with the prosecution.
The verdict moment
At the close of the trial, Judge Adam L. Sistsky asked the foreperson of the jury to read the verdict twice, apparently to confirm the finding.
"Murder, murder, in the first degree," she said.
Fuller — wearing a dark blue suit and white sneakers — briefly looked toward the rear of the courtroom, apparently hoping to make eye contact with family members. He was swiftly escorted out in handcuffs.
What's next
Fuller is slated to be arraigned on sentencing on Tuesday, Dec. 27.
Source: Telegram & Gazette
Source: Telegram & Gazette — read the original report
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