Jonathan Lind, 29, convicted of perjury in connection to the brutal 2018 murder of Brandon Chicklis, was sentenced today to serve 7 to 9 years in state prison. According to NBC Boston, Lind misled a grand jury about his whereabouts on the day Chicklis was murdered by his girlfriend, Julia Enright, who was previously sentenced for second-degree murder. Officials say that Lind assisted Enright in wrapping Chicklis' body in a tarp and dumping it in New Hampshire.
In a Worcester Superior Court trial last December, Lind faced a maximum of 20 years in prison just for the perjury charge. Prosecutors had pushed for a longer sentence, arguing for 10 to 12 years due to Lind's actions which included providing a false alibi for himself and Enright, said Assistant District Attorney Shayna Woodard in statements obtained by The Gardner News. However, Lind's defense argued that he was another victim of Enright, described as a sociopath, and cited Lind's diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome as a factor in his vulnerability.
The case has been marked by horrifying details, with prosecutors alleging Enright killed Chicklis as a shocking gift for Lind. They both shared macabre interests, including death and the sexual fetish of “bloodplay”, as reported by NBC Boston. The aftermath of the crime left Chicklis' family with an agonizing 17-day search leading to the discovery of his badly decayed body. Trisha Edwards-LaMarche, Chicklis’ mother, expressed profound anguish during the trial, questioning the extent of her son's suffering before his death.
Lind, after being silent during the search for Chicklis and even while evidence wore away by Enright’s side, still has two additional counts pending, accessory after the fact and disinterment of a body, as mentioned by The Gardner News. His lawyer indicated that Lind is likely to plead guilty to these charges. On March 13, Lind is due back in court for these charges, which carry lesser sentences than perjury.
Lind's conviction is part of a complex web of legal proceedings that included several pretrial rulings affecting evidence presentation. Details of Chicklis' case have cast a grim light on the accused and the victim, often obscuring Chicklis' memory as a kind man and a caring son. As per The Gardner News, family members remembered him as someone who lived by the Boy Scouts' principles of honor, service, and integrity.
With the 93 days he has already spent in jail credited, Lind begins his sentence amidst continued legal battles and a community still reeling from the grisly details of a crime that upended their sense of safety and justice. As the case unfolds, remaining charges still await resolution in the upcoming courtroom appearance slated for mid-March.
