Somerville Man Gets Life In Prison For Cop's Murder

BARNSTABLE, MA — A Somerville man who fatally shot a Yarmouth police officer was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of second-degree murder Friday.

Thomas Latanowich, 32, shot and killed Sgt. Sean Gannon and wounded his K-9 partner Nero in the attic of a Marstons Mills home on April 12, 2018. Gannon and six other officers were serving a warrant at the home when Latanowich opened fire, shooting Gannon in the head and hitting Nero in the face and neck, prosecutors said.

Nero recovered from his injuries.

Latanowich, a career criminal with more than 100 charges at the time of the shooting, was also found guilty of aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, using a firearm in commission of a felony, possession of a firearm without an FID card, possession of ammunition with an FID card and mistreating a police dog.

Latanowich was sentenced to an additional 10-15 years for the other charges, which will precede his life sentence, meaning he will not be eligible for parole for at least 35 years.

Prosecutors wanted to convict Latanowich on a first-degree murder charge, but his attorney had long maintained the charge should be reduced to second-degree murder.

At the start of the trial, Joseph Krowski argued his client did not know Gannon was a police officer when he shot him, WHDH reported. Krowski said Latanowich believed Gannon was someone with whom he had a dispute.

Prosecutors said Latanowich was hiding in the attic, and police announced themselves and gave several warnings before he opened fire.

"While we are disappointed in the verdict, the fact remains that our Sean is dead," Gannon's family said in a statement Friday.

"We are completely grateful and extend our heartfelt thanks to the many members of our communities that have reached out to our family in myriad ways throughout these past three years," the statement continued. "Their support has been the steel in our spine: you will never be forgotten. Now, we must continue to honor Sean's legacy of service. We will do so through the Sean M. Gannon Memorial Fund as we attempt to make our world a better and safer place. Our family will make no further statements. We need time to quietly reflect and heal."