43-year-old Massachusetts man convicted of brutal stabbing in death of 30-year-old wife

In Essex County Superior Court in Lawrence Tuesday afternoon, a jury found a Massachusetts man guilty in the fatal stabbing of his wife, who was 30 at the time of her death, the Office of Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker has announced.

The jury found Junior Solis Garcia, 43, of Lawrence, guilty of first-degree murder in the June 20, 2022, death of Mariel Ramos De Los Santos at their residence on Diamond Street in Lawrence.

The Commonwealth was represented in the case by prosecutors Erin Bellavia, Kate MacDougall, and Emily Mello, who introduced evidence documenting controlling behavior by Solis Garcia prior to Ramos De Los Santos’ death. Cristina Garcia served as victim/witness advocate in the case. The Hon. Salim Tabit presided over the case and scheduled a sentencing hearing for February 18, 2026 at 2 p.m. in Superior Court in Lawrence.

The investigation of Ramos De Los Santos’ death included Sergeant Timothy Yerian and the Lawrence Police Department, Trooper John Lannon and the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to Tucker’s office, and the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. The defendant was represented by attorneys Benjamin Falkner and James Krasnoo.

Born in the Dominican Republic, Ramos De Los Santos moved to Lawrence and was remembered throughout the trial as a dedicated mother to her four children and a hard worker who loved music and helping others. Following her death, hundreds of people gathered in Lawrence to call attention to domestic violence, pray, and hold her in their memory.