Somerville Man Convicted of First-Degree Murder

A 33-year-old Somerville man has been found guilty of a November 2009 homicide in the city.

Michael Barnett was convicted by a Middlesex Superior Court jury in Woburn of first-degree murder and armed robbery, according to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office.

According to authorities, on Nov. 22, 2009, Barnett was in need of money for drugs, so he went to 24-year-old Christopher Souza’s residence in Somerville, strangled him with his Xbox and Playstation cords and then stole the video game consoles and sold them for drug money.

Souza’s body was found by his mother the next morning.

Somerville and State Police were able to track the Playstation using its IP address, and the buyer said he bought it from Barnett for $50.

Barnett is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday morning in Middlesex Superior Court.

A co-defendant in the case, Barnett’s girlfriend, Kelley Murray, 33, of Somerville, was charged with two counts of witness intimidation for allegedly lying to police during the investigation. Her charges are pending, according to the district attorney’s office.