88-year-old Taunton man sentenced to prison for shooting his wife to death

An 88-year-old Taunton man who shot and killed his wife about two years ago has pled guilty to Second Degree Murder, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.

Edmund Silveira pled guilty to the indictment late last Friday afternoon in Fall River Superior Court and was sentenced to serve life in prison with the possibility of parole after 15 years.

On the night of August 29, 2021, Silveira fired eight rounds at his 71-year-old wife, Dianne Silveira, striking her four times. The evidence showed that shortly before 9 pm, the victim’s sister called the victim on the phone and heard the victim scream before the phone went dead. After trying to reach the victim several times, the sister then contacted Taunton Police.

Around the same time, the couple’s Bay Street next door neighbor, heard screaming coming from outside and heard several gunshots. When the neighbor looked out her window, she saw the victim lying motionless in the driveway. She then saw the defendant walking away from the victim’s body.

When Taunton Police arrived on scene, they witnessed Silveira retreat inside his home. The victim was rushed to Morton Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Silveira, now inside his home, turned off all the lights and did not respond to any efforts by law enforcement to make contact with him. A tactical team arrived on scene and used a camera-equipped robot to enter the home, at which time the defendant was found in the kitchen with an apparent self-inflicted laceration to both his arm and his neck. He later told police he first attempted to shoot himself, but the gun jammed.

In a recorded confession, Silveira admitted to suspecting his wife of having an affair (she was not) and didn’t want her to tell her sister that they had been arguing.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Michael Scott and Kaitlyn O’Leary, and the sentence was imposed by Judge Susan Sullivan.

“This was a case based on jealousy and unfounded paranoia that resulted in the defendant murdering his wife. The defendant’s selfish actions resulted in a terrible loss for her many family members and friends,” District Attorney Quinn said.