Tewksbury Woman Begged Attacker's Sister For Help: Prosecutors

TEWKSBURY, MA — Jennifer Kalicki posted $250 bail on Sept. 11 for her boyfriend Eric Griffin, who was charged with possession of a Class B drug with intent to distribute. It was two days after a domestic violence case against Griffin and involving Kalicki as the victim was dismissed, and four days before police found Kalicki dead at the couple's Tewksbury apartment.

Griffin is due back in court Friday for a dangerousness hearing on a charge of assault and battery on a family or household member, with more charges expected.

"This is not believed to be a random incident of violence and there is no danger to the public," Tewksbury police said Monday in a statement announcing Griffin's arrest.

During Friday's hearing, a judge will rule whether there is enough evidence to hold Griffin, who pleaded not guilty to the charges Monday. He has two restraining orders and multiple violations of probation on his record. During his arraignment, a judge revoked his bail.

Griffin called police Sunday morning and said Kalicki was cold to the touch and unresponsive. When police arrived, they found her in bed with her shirt ripped open, a bump and cut on her forehead, a red indentation near her left temple, red marks on both sides of her neck and on her upper chest, and bruising on the outside of her right hand, according to a police report. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

A day earlier, Kalicki sent a series of text messages to Griffin's sister between 8:35 a.m. and 10:42 a.m. She said she and Griffin had been fighting since the previous night and that Griffin was still angry and abusing her.

"He’s ripped the door open," Kalicki texted. "Choked me, slammed me to the ground. Please help me. He’s losing it...I just need help. I’m tired of him making me the victim."

Griffin's sister did not call police.

"During those text messages, the victim was begging the defendant's sister for help," prosecutor Suzanne Wiseman said at the arraignment.

When police arrived at the Archstone Arms apartment around 8 a.m. on Sunday, Griffin said they had been arguing but claimed Kalicki's injuries were self-inflicted. In the police report, investigators said Kalicki's injuries were "not consistent" with the account Griffin offered.

"He murdered her," Kalicki’s mother, Kathy Gadd, told Boston 25. "He murdered her. There’s no two ways about it."

Dave Copeland writes for Massachusetts Patch and can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).