William J. O’Brien was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 22 years for the 2023 killing of his roommate, 23-year-old Samuel P. Waters. O’Brien pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Fall River Superior Court and received credit for 390 days already served, according to Fall River Reporter.
What the sentence means
The sentence reflects Massachusetts’ statutory treatment of second-degree murder: imprisonment in state prison for life, with parole eligibility beginning after the minimum term fixed by the court. In this case, that minimum is 22 years, according to Massachusetts General Laws, chapter 265, section 2.
Parole eligibility is not an automatic release date. It means O’Brien may be considered for parole after serving the court-ordered minimum term; the life sentence remains in effect unless parole is granted.
The 2023 shooting
Police responded to a Mansfield home on May 20, 2023, after a report of a shooting and found Waters dead. An autopsy determined that Waters died from multiple gunshot wounds to the head, according to Fall River Reporter.
The account reported that witnesses identified O’Brien as the shooter and that he fled when police arrived. He was later found wearing body armor and told officers he apologized for killing Waters, according to the same report. The guilty plea also covered charges related to possessing a large-capacity firearm and ammunition without the required identification card.
The case therefore ends with a murder conviction and a life sentence, but not with an immediate determination about eventual release. Any future parole consideration will begin only after the 22-year minimum established at sentencing.
