District Attorney Timothy Shugrue held a commendation event to recognize the investigative work done that resulted in the conviction of Lance Burke in the 2018 murder of David Green in Pittsfield.
Police Detective Sgt. Jeffrey Arena is commended for his role in bringing Burke to justice.
Officer David Kirchner is awarded a commendation.
Officer Gary Munn is congratulated on his commendation.
Officer Gary Munn and his wife, Danielle, pose with his commendation 'for outstanding investigation and dedication to justice.'
Pittsfield Police Lt. David Soules and Officer David Kirchner fist bump after getting their commendations as Officer Jeffrey Arena looks on.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The family of David Green Jr. can finally have some sense of justice thanks to the prosecution of his murderer, Lance Burke.
"I just want to take a moment to remember David Green Jr. He was a beloved son and uncle, a nephew whose life was cut short through this senseless act of violence," District Attorney Timothy Shugrue said.
Green was murdered in 2018 while sitting in his vehicle on Willow Street. Burke was identified as the suspect based on witness testimony, cross-state investigations, and video and mobile phone tracking surveillance.
After more than two years of investigation and a hung jury in the first trial, Burke was found guilty on March 13 in his retrial.
"It's really difficult to grasp the extreme complexities of the investigation that undertook for the law enforcement in this case. The evidence collected was massive and included volumes of digital evidence along with technical data," Shugrue said.
During a commendation ceremony on Thursday morning, Shugrue recognized several public safety officials whose "exceptional work" aided in the arrest and guilty verdict of Burke.
"I have never seen such a tremendous working group of men and women of the Pittsfield Police Department doing the amount of cases that we do, and doing the amount of cases and the arrests that you make that have made Pittsfield so much safer," Shugrue said.
"The amount of guns off the street is incredible. The amount of drugs you've taken off the street is incredible, and now getting the conviction of these people that are coming here from other areas, coming here solely as a hit, as a professional hit, to kill somebody else. We will not tolerate that, and you prove that, and our citizens can be very proud today."
Shugrue said afterward that there is no doubt this murder was a hit. The investigation into who hired the hit is still ongoing. A lot of information was revealed during the trial.
"We'll continue doing what we do. I don't want to comment more than that, but it's not closed," he said.
He commended Pittsfield detectives Lt. John Soules and Sgt. Jeffrey Arena, investigators Brenna Dorr and Thomas Bowler Jr., and Pittsfield Officers David Kirchner and Gary Munn.
Arena and Munn were said to have played crucial roles in piecing together the technical evidence in a way that the jury could easily understand.
Arena's deep understanding of the case and his willingness to go above and beyond set him apart. His ability to sympathize complex evidence was extraordinary and established a clear link between the defendant, the crime, and his guilt, Shugrue said.
"This type of investigation, with its technical nature, is cutting edge, and it serves as a national model."
Cases are seldom solved through these types of investigation methods, he said.
Burke, who had no direct connection to Pittsfield or Green, was allegedly hired to commit the murder, with the motive stemming from a complex dating-related conflict, Arena said.
"Something that we wanted to focus on with the retrial is telling the entire story, from the second he left New York City to when he got to Pittsfield, following him around Pittsfield, and his journey back to New York City," Munn said.
"We clipped together all the video surveillance that painted that picture, and then we also incorporated the Google map data, the cellular data to really show that this is the guy that we're looking for."
"Those involved in this case provided a glimpse into what future criminal investigations might look like. They did so with precision, expertise, and flawless execution," Shugrue said.
The investigation was groundbreaking in its utilization of over 1,000 hours of video surveillance, cell phone mapping, Google location data, and extensive digital forensic evidence.
Shugrue later said this investigative model is a good step to show other jurisdictions that cases can be proven without having a live witness to testify.
"We lose a lot of witnesses by threats. We don't have to worry about losing witnesses by threats when we have digital and we have video and we have evidence that shows self cell phone data and cell phone tower locations," Shugrue said.
From the moment Dorr arrived on the scene, she "selflessly dedicated herself to the well-being of David Green Jr.," Shugrue said.
"Her compassionate reassurance in his final moments provided comfort to both him and his family. Investigator Dorr relentless pursuit to identify the vehicles license plate in the ensuing weeks exemplified her dedication, ultimately leading to the identification of the defendant," Shugrue said.
"I'll also like to recognize investigator Dorr's commitment to not just our county but to our nation through her prior military service."
Bowler was recognized for the extensive surveillance he conducted in New York, which helped identify Burke as the suspect, and located him.
"Additionally, investigator Bowler's work led to insight into defendants, actions. His testimony in court aided prosecutors in demonstrating to the jury Burke's consciousness of guilt," Shugrue said.
Sheriff Thomas Bowler accepted his son's award on his behalf, as he was unable to attend because he was working.
Kirchner played a key role in tracking Burke down in New York thanks to his dedication to surveillance and investigations, Shugrue said.
"Additionally, through his work, prosecutors were able to successfully explain to the jury Burke's behavior following the murder of Mr. Green, and how he demonstrated his guilt in the crime," he said.
From the moment Soules took command of the scene his leadership was apparent, Shugrue said.
"Soules' testimony on stand, further underscored his role in driving the investigation forward. He presented the case with clarity, offering compelling testimony that highlighted the exhaustive and meticulous nature of the investigation," he said.
"Despite repeated efforts by defense counsel to challenge the credibility investigators. Detective Lieutenant Soules stood his ground. I can't thank you enough for the dedication that you showed and committed to this case and led us to get this well-deserved conviction and get this dangerous man off the streets of Berkshire County."
Shugrue also praised the trial team that prosecuted this case: Marianne Shelvey, assistant district attorney, Heather Valentine, assistant district attorney and chief of narcotics and firearm unit, Lori Levinson, appellate assistant district attorney, and Jane Kibby-Peirce, director of victim witness advocates.
"[They] exemplified what an exceptional trial team we have," Shugrue said.
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