Man, 71, Convicted Of Murdering His 33-Year-Old Co-worker

A 71-year-old man was found guilty of first degree murder yesterday in connection with the Jan. 28, 2009 shooting death of Maurice Ricketts, 33, of Malden, during a workplace dispute.

Clyde Howard, 71, of Brookline was found guilty of first degree murder on Thursday in connection with the January 28, 2009 shooting death of Maurice Ricketts, 33, of Malden, during a workplace dispute, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan.

Middlesex Superior Court Judge Brian Davis sentenced the defendant to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

“This case was an example of work place violence which this office is deeply committed to both preventing and prosecuting,” said District Attorney Ryan. “Today’s verdict reinforces our office’s mission to make sure that no one should feel that their life is endangered simply because they show up to work. No office dispute merits, or justifies, a violent and deadly response, and this case is confirmation that there are serious repercussions for those who seek to harm their work colleagues.”

The DA’s office gave an account: “On January 28, 2009, at approximately 10:15 a.m. the defendant entered a warehouse on Smith Place in Cambridge armed with a gun. Following a verbal altercation, the defendant pulled out his gun and proceeded to shoot the victim multiple times. The defendant then fled the scene. Cambridge Police responded to reports of a workplace shooting in Cambridge. Upon arrival, police located the victim outside the business suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, including two shots to the head. The victim was then transported to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Shortly thereafter the defendant was located by authorities in Boston.”

An investigation by authorities found that the defendant and the victim, both of whom were co-workers at the Bay State Pool Supply Company, had an ongoing dispute of a personal nature.

On February 4, 2011, a Middlesex Superior Court jury found Howard guilty on the charges of first degree murder, illegal possession of a firearm, illegal possession of ammunition, and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling, and received a sentence of life without the possibility of parole. In October of 2014, the Supreme Judicial Court overturned the murder conviction but left the prosecution the option of a retrial. Yesterday, once again, Clyde Howard was convicted on the charge of first degree murder.

The case was investigated by Cambridge Police and Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office.