Desmond Phillip (Pittsfield: 45 years old) was found guilty of Murder (1st Degree) and three gun related charges on Thursday, July 3rd in connection with the murder of Teddy Cepeda (Pittsfield: 43 years old at time of death). The Defendant was found guilty by a jury of his peers in Berkshire Superior Court. In Massachusetts, Murder carries a mandatory life sentence.
Mr. Phillip was found guilty of:
• Murder (Mandatory life sentence)
• Illegal Possession of a Firearm (Mandatory 2.5 years sentence)
• Possession of a Firearm without an FID
• Possession of Ammunition without an FID
In the early evening hours of September 30, 2022, Pittsfield Police responded to 7 Goodrich Street (Pittsfield) for a report of shots fired. Upon their arrival they discovered Teddy Cepeda laying unresponsive on the ground. Mr. Cepeda appeared to have suffered one gunshot wound to his chest. He was immediately transferred to Berkshire Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased.
Law enforcement investigations revealed that on that day, Mr. Cepeda traveled to 7 Goodrich Street to pick up a woman, Courtney Haner. Ms. Haner had a prior romantic relationship with Mr. Cepeda. Both the Defendant and Ms. Haner lived at 7 Goodrich Street. The Defendant had a history of jealously. Evidence showed that when Mr. Cepeda arrived at 7 Goodrich Street, a verbal argument ensued between both men. The Defendant fired a single, fatal shot to Mr. Cepeda’s chest. Further, the investigation revelated that the Defendant was aware that Mr. Cepeda was traveling to the house. The Defendant armed himself with an illegal, loaded firearm prior to Mr. Cepeda’s arrival.
Evidence entered by the Commonwealth included crime scene photos, video surveillance, Facebook communications, and eye witness testimony from the evening of the shooting.
At trial, defense argued that the Defendant shot the victim in self-defense; however, a jury rejected that theory. Rather they found the Commonwealth proved that the Defendant made no attempt to back away from the victim. (Massachusetts laws state that individuals must first attempt to retreat when feeling threatened prior to resorting to deadly force.)
District Attorney Shugrue stated, “When I took Office, I pledged to the community that I would not tolerate gun violence. Today, that pledge was once again fulfilled. Since May of 2024, five separate individuals have been convicted of murder. These five murder convictions are joined by rape convictions, child abuse convictions, and the successful investigation and prosecution of large-scale drug trafficking operations all successfully brought to fruition by the Commonwealth. We must invest resources in our community and provide support for those struggling from addiction and difficult circumstances; however, it is critical to the safety of the Berkshires that we also hold violent offenders accountable. Today we did just that.”
He continued, “My thoughts are with Mr. Cepeda’s family and friends today. While the guilty verdict will not bring back their loved one, I do hope it provides an opportunity to feel some sense of justice. I thank the jury for their dedication to this case and thoughtful deliberation. I commend First Assistant District Attorney Shelvey and Assistant District Attorney Winston for the commitment and hard work to ensure justice was achieved on behalf of Mr. Cepeda as well as Pittsfield Police Department’s detailed investigation into the case. Additionally, the successful outcome would not be possible without the tremendous support of Director of Victim Witness Advocates, Jane Pierce.”
Pittsfield Police served as the lead law enforcement agency. The Berkshire State Police Detective Unit’s Digital Evidence Lab supported the investigation.
First Assistant District Attorney Marianne Shelvey, Assistant District Attorney Amy Winston, and Assistant District Attorney Sara Swan represented the Commonwealth. Director of Victim Witness Advocates, Jane Peirce served as the victim witness advocate on behalf of the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office.
The Jury deliberated for 6 hours over two days. Sentencing will take place Thursday, July 10th at 2pm in Berkshire Superior Court.