Beverly Man Pleads Guilty In 2012 Billerica Homicide

BILLERICA, MA — A Beverly man was sentenced to 10 years in state prison after pleading guilty to charges stemming from his role in a 2012 Billerica homicide.

Sophan Keo, 32, of Beverly, Steven Touch, 30, of Lynn, Gabriel Arias, 27, of Lynn, pleaded guilty to manslaughter, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and other charges for the 2012 death of 22-year-old Quintin Koehler. Three other men had already been convicted in the crime, which the Middlesex District Attorney's office described as "a joint venture....to steal cash and marijuana."

"Quintin Koehler is dead because six men put together a plan to force their way into a home then terrorize and rob the residents," Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said in a statement. "For families, justice does not have a deadline and after many years we are hopeful that today marks the end of a long road for the loved ones of Mr. Koehler."

According to Ryan, four men forced entry into a home at 795 Boston Road in Billerica in the early-morning hours of July 7, 2012, smashing the door from its hinges. Some of the men wore masks, and at least three of them were armed with handguns.

When two occupants of the house resisted and tried to force them back out of the door of the home, one of the home invaders fatally shot Koehler. The home invaders fled without completing their robbery plan.

The men were also sentenced to 4-5 years to run concurrently on a charge of armed robbery and five years probation on the charges of home invasion and conspiracy to commit home invasion.

Touch was also sentenced to a concurrent five years in state prison on the charge of possession of a large capacity weapon in connection with an unrelated 2016 Everett arrest. Arias was also sentenced to a concurrent five to seven years on the charge of willfully misleading a police officer.