Medford Man Found Guilty of Perjury in Connection to Killing

A jury has found a Medford man guilty of perjury for lying to the investigators of a killing at a Salem Street home in 2010, according to prosecutors.

Roger Beattie, 33 was found guilty for perjury Monday following a four day trial in Middlesex County Superior Court in Woburn. He was immediately sentenced by Judge Sandra Hamlin to 4 to 6 years in state prison, according to a press release from Middlesex County Attorney Gerry Leone.

Beattie witnessed his roommate, Christopher Toppi, beat to death Brian Fahy, 28, at their 382 Salem St. apartment on August 28, 2010, prosecutors said. But when called to testify before a grand jury, Beattie denied seeing Toppi at the apartment and failed to reveal other information about the killing, including a conversation he had with Toppi about the murder weapon, prosecutors said.

When Beattie arrived home in the early morning of August 28 after a night out, he allegedly called Toppi and told him Fahy was at the apartment with a friend, according to the press release.

Upon hearing this, Toppi went home and spoke to Beattie in the doorway of the residence then went upstairs and confronted Fahy, prosecutors said. Beattie saw Toppi beating the Fahy, but waited before he pulled his roommate away, prosecutors said.

It wasn't until February 2011 that Beattie was arrested in connection to Fahy's death. Toppi pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter in October 2011 and was sentenced to 15 to 18 years in prison.