Life Sentence For Waltham Ninja Mask Halloween Stabbing

WALTHAM, MA — A Waltham man received a life sentence for the 2020 Halloween stabbing of his 61-year-old former roommate.

Jonathan Galindo, 38 of Waltham, has been sentenced for the 2020 fatal stabbing of Kevin Fitzgerald, 61.

Middlesex Superior Court Judge Helene Kazanjian imposed a life sentence with eligibility for parole after 22 years on his second-degree murder conviction with an additional 18-year sentence, to be served concurrently, upon his armed burglary conviction.

On Oct. 31, 2020, at 9:14 p.m., Fitzgerald called 911 and told police that he had been stabbed and was dying. When officers arrived at his Alder Street home, they found him at the threshold, bleeding badly. He was conscious and stated he had been stabbed by a man wearing a ninja mask, officials said.

Fitzgerald was transported to the hospital and pronounced dead just after 10:00 p.m. An autopsy revealed that he had suffered three stab wounds, in the chest, shoulder and thigh. The stab wound to the chest punctured his lung and was the fatal wound.

Inside his home, investigators located blood and a knife, which was sent to the State Police Crime Laboratory. Investigators also tested for fingerprint evidence on the back storm door. Leading up to that door were a set of footprints still visible from recent snow.

On Nov. 4, 2020, investigators learned that a left index finger impression found on the back storm door at the victim’s home matched the left index fingerprint of Jonathan Galindo. The subsequent investigation revealed that Galindo was a former housemate of the victim’s and had moved out of the apartment in the spring of 2020.

On Nov. 7, 2020, investigators received results from the State Police Crime Laboratory DNA unit that a DNA profile from the handle of the knife, which was found on the stairs at the Alder Street residence, was a match to Galindo. The same day, investigators sought and were granted a search warrant for the defendant’s apartment and an arrest warrant for Galindo.

A search of the defendant’s apartment located a black mask in his closet. A search of the Defendant’s phone, which he stated he always had with him, included location data that placed the phone at the Alder Street location at the time of the stabbing.

Finally, a search of the phone’s internet search history revealed repeated searches for “Any recent stabbings in Waltham last night?” on the day after the murder.

Joseph Galindo was found guilty by a Middlesex Jury on June 2, 2025, after a three-week trial that began on May 8th.