Couple Involved in Fatal Home Invasion Receive Prison Sentences

Salem Superior Court (Courtesy photograph.)

Salem Superior Court.

A Haverhill couple—the last two suspects in a 2012 River Street home invasion where two people were shot to death—was sentenced Thursday to serve between five and nine years in state prison.

Angela Walsh, 25, and Joshua Cloutman, 24, both pleaded guilty before Judge Timothy Feeley in Salem Superior Court to armed robbery and breaking and entering in the nighttime to commit a felony.

“The defendants played an integral role in planning and assisting to execute a plan to steal drugs from their downstairs neighbor,” William Melchionda, 631 River St., said Assistant District Attorney Jean Curran.  “The information they provided to (Juan Carlos) Sanchez facilitated the home invasion which resulted in the death of two people.” Melchionda was shot to death during the home invasion along with Sanchez’s co-conspirator, Anddy Guzman of Lawrence.

Feeley accepted the joint recommendation of seven to nine years in state prison for Walsh and five to six years in state prison for Cloutman. A police investigation discovered Walsh and Cloutman had talked with Sanchez about stealing marijuana from the apartment. In consideration for their guilty pleas, the Commonwealth dismissed two counts of murder and one count of home invasion.

Sanchez, 25, of Haverhill and formerly of Lawrence, was sentenced last month to 23 to 27 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter, home invasion, armed robbery and two counts of armed assault with intent to murder. Sanchez also pistol-whipped two others who were in the apartment.

Curran praised the work of Haverhill Police Detective Joseph Benedetti and the entire Haverhill Police Department for their “tireless work on this investigation.” Curran was assisted by prosecutor Ashlee Logan and Essex Victim Advocate Cristina Garcia.

Walsh was represented by Attorney Larry Maguire and Cloutman was represented by Attorney John Morris.