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WORCESTER, Mass. — A jury on Wednesday found Mathew Locke guilty of four counts of first-degree murder in the 2018 killings of Sara Bermudez and her three young children in West Brookfield; This marked the end of a harrowing trial that lasted almost a month.

Locke, 38, Bermudez, 38, and their child Madison, 8, formerly of Ware; James, 6; and 2-year-old Michael, whose bodies were found at their home on Old Warren Road. Prosecutors presented evidence that Locke committed the murders deliberately, with extreme brutality and cruelty, and during the course of felonies, including armed robbery and aggravated rape.

The jury also found Locke guilty of armed robbery and arson, noting evidence that a fire at the scene had self-extinguished. Deliberations lasted approximately 10 hours and capped a four-week trial that included testimony from over 70 witnesses and the presentation of more than 1,000 exhibits.

“The deaths of this mother and her children were some of the most heinous deaths this office has ever seen,” said Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr., who commended the prosecution team and law enforcement for their thorough investigation and trial preparation. .

Locke’s conviction provides a measure of closure to a case that devastated the West Brookfield community. DA Early thanked the jury, law enforcement and victim advocates for their efforts and expressed hope that the verdict would provide some justice to the victims’ surviving family.