Massachusetts man who killed ‘elderly’ pair in ‘vicious’ slaying as a teenager has been granted parole

A man who as a teen killed an “elderly” pair in a “vicious, senseless” slaying is being freed by the state’s parole board.

William Shipps back in the 1980s was sentenced to life without parole after he was convicted of first-degree murder for the double killing of 79-year-old John Lucey and 68-year-old Esther King.

Shipps, then 16 years old, shot and killed the brother and sister while robbing their Stoughton home on July 24, 1982.

Shipps became eligible for parole following the 2013 Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s decision in Diatchenko — which ruled that juvenile lifers have an opportunity for release.

Shipps in 2021 was denied parole following an initial hearing, but the Massachusetts Parole Board recently granted the 59-year-old man’s release despite opposition from the Norfolk DA’s office.

When Shipps was arrested in 1983, Stoughton Police Chief William Gross called it “the worst murder we’ve had… It was a vicious, senseless killing of two elderly people.”

On the day of the murder, Shipps and another teen went into the garage of a home near the Shipps’ family home and stole some items. The juveniles then broke into two cars nearby.

Then Shipps and the teen went into Lucey and King’s garage. Shipps later returned to the victims’ home and broke in.

Later in the day, a family member found Lucey’s body in his bedroom and King lying face up in her blood-stained bed. Lucey was pronounced dead at the scene. King was taken to a local hospital, where she died shortly thereafter.

Norfolk ADA Michael McGee at Shipps’ parole hearing argued that the killer had shown a “lack of empathy” and said he was not rehabilitated.

“For this family, these verdicts, these life sentences for at least in some way gave them justice,” McGee said.

“Diatchenko was devastating to these families,” he said, later adding, “These parole hearings have an impact on them that is devastating.”

Shipps apologized at his hearing earlier this year.

“The trauma, the pain and the loss that you suffered at my hands is irreparable,” he said. “I’m deeply sorry for having inflicted such trauma upon you.

“I not only robbed you of your lives, but I robbed you of all the experiences your lives had ahead,” Shipps added.

Shipps has served more than 42 years behind bars. According to the parole board, he has continued program involvement and advanced his participation in Restorative Justice and the Youthful Coalition.

Shipps has invested in vocational training, and works as a clerk in the library. A doctor told the board that Shipps has been rehabilitated and is at a “low to non-cognizable risk for violent offense recidivism.”

The board wrote, “The Board concludes that William Shipps has demonstrated a level of rehabilitation that would make his release compatible with the welfare of society.”