25-year-old Bristol County man sentenced in Fall River Superior Court for murdering his father

A 25-year-old from Rehoboth was sentenced today after being convicted of First-Degree Murder after a jury trial that lasted more than three weeks in Fall River Superior Court. 

Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn, III announced that Joseph “JD” Housley, II was sentenced today to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years.

Housley, II was convicted in the July 6, 2021, shooting death of his own father, Joseph Housley, at 101 Forsythe Circle in Seekonk. 

A co-defendant and close friend of the defendant, Christopher Heron, was previously convicted of Second-Degree Murder by a jury and sentenced to serve a life sentence with possible parole eligibility at 18 years on June 19, 2025. 

Both cases were tried in front of the Honorable Rene Dupuis and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Karen O’Sullivan and Shawn Guilderson. 

A Bristol County Grand Jury in September of 2022, handed down indictments charging Joseph “JD” Housley II and Heron, both of Rehoboth.

At approximately 9:53 p.m. on July 6, 2021, Seekonk Police responded to 911 calls regarding possible gun shots in the area of 101 Forsyth Circle. When first responders arrived on scene, they located Housley suffering from an apparent gunshot wound in an apartment at 101 Forsyth Circle. He was later pronounced deceased.

“I am pleased that the judge imposed a life sentence with the maximum term of 30 years for parole eligibility. The defendant planned the murder of his father with the assistance of his accomplice and tried to con his way out of responsibility in his testimony before the jury. Fortunately, they saw through it. This was a terrible tragedy for all the family members impacted by the victim’s murder,” District Attorney Tom Quinn said.