Massachusetts man convicted after Lloyd Borgella fatally shot 13 times after exiting restaurant

WOBURN – Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Woburn Chief of Police Robert Rufo have announced that Pauliasky Jean-Francois, 38, of Plymouth, MA, has been convicted of the 2020 murder of Lloyd Borgella, 26, of Roslindale. Following a twelve-day trial in Middlesex Superior Court, Pauliasky Jean-Francois was found guilty of first-degree murder, assault with a dangerous weapon and carrying a firearm without a license. Judge Diane Freniere is scheduled to sentence Jean-Francois on November 25.

On December 12, 2020, Woburn Police responded to multiple 911 calls reporting a shooting in the parking lot of Jake n JOES Sports Grille located at 230 Mishawum Road in Woburn. Upon arrival, officers located Lloyd Borgella suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Borgella was transported to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.  

The investigation revealed that, on the evening of December 12, 2020, Borgella entered the Jake n JOES Sports Grille. After he had gone inside the restaurant, Pauliasky Jean-Francois and Eric Mills pulled into the parking lot in a black sedan. The two men waited inside the car in the restaurant’s parking lot for an extended period of time before moving the car into an adjacent hotel parking lot which had a direct view of the restaurant.

When Borgella exited the restaurant, Jean-Francois and Mills exited the vehicle and quickly approached Borgella.  Borgella was then shot thirteen times. Jean-Francois ran back to the black sedan parked next door and drove away at a high rate of speed. He crashed the car into a tree at the intersection of School Street and Forrest Park Road, less than a half mile away from the restaurant and fled on foot.

Police later located Jean-Francois walking on the sidewalk of Alfred Street in Woburn.  He claimed that he had been shot at in the Jake n JOES Sports Grille parking lot and had run away from the shooters. Officers brought Jean-Francois to the police station to interview him as a witness. However, upon review of the surveillance footage, officers determined that Jean-Francois was the shooter in the video, not a victim or a witness as he had claimed. Officers also located a car key in Jean-Francois’ pocket which was determined to be the key to the crashed car. Police found gunshot residue in the crashed car as well as two semi-automatic pistols on the paths which Jean-Francois and Mills used to flee from the crashed getaway car.

“Pauliasky Jean-Francois targeted Lloyd Borgella and waited for him to exit a restaurant where he had gone on a first date.  When Mr. Borgella stepped outside, the defendant opened fire in the public parking lot of the busy restaurant.  While the victim in this case was struck 13 times, over 20 rounds were actually fired in rapid fashion,” said District Attorney Ryan. “This increasing use of firearms to gun people down and create enormous public safety risks cannot be tolerated.  As demonstrated by this prosecution we are committed to holding those who engage in this behavior accountable.”

“I would like to thank District Attorney Ryan and her outstanding staff for their assistance during the investigation, continued follow up investigations and the efficient and professional prosecution of the case.  I would also like to thank the Massachusetts State Police Detectives assigned to the District Attorney’s office for their immeasurable assistance during the course of the investigation,” said Chief Rufo. 

Eric Mills has been charged with first-degree murder, assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm. The next scheduled date in his case is November 26, 2024.

This case was investigated by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, the Woburn Police Department and Massachusetts State Police Detectives assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office. The prosecutors assigned to this case were Graham Van Epps, Mary O’Neill and Chichi Lee. The Victim Witness Advocate was Susie Marshall and Leia Kaplan.