The murder trial of a teenager accused of decapitating his Lawrence High School classmate in 2016 entered its third day Wednesday as jurors heard from a teenager who said the alleged killer told him about how he chopped off the victim’s head.
Mathew Borges, 18, is charged with first-degree murder in the November 2016 death of Lee Manuel Viloria-Paulino. He was 15 at the time but is being tried as an adult.
When the trial opened on Monday in Salem Superior Court, prosecutors introduced a journal kept by Borges, which cited jealousy as a driving factor behind the heinous crime.
On Tuesday, a dog walker described what it was like to discover Viloria-Paulino’s body on the banks of the Merrimack River and a state trooper spoke about finding his head floating in a plastic bag.
Jonathan Miranda, 18, took the stand Wednesday and said Borges told him, along with other friends, that he cut of Viloria-Paulino’s head in an effort to get away with murder.
“He told me he killed Lee and cut off his head,” Miranda told the court. “He said that he stabbed him.”
Miranda was unable to recall how many times Borges stabbed the victim but said it was “a lot of times.”
When prosecutor James Gubitose asked if Borges revealed why he cut off the victim’s head, Miranda simply stated: “So he wouldn’t be caught.”
Borges’ defense has suggested that Viloria-Paulino may have been killed in a violent gang attack.
No DNA, no weapon and no physical evidence that link Borges to the crime have been found.
A not guilty plea was previously entered on behalf of Borges.
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