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Kristian Maraj was convicted by a jury on Feb. 9 in the death of Felicity Coleman, 34, of Dorchester, the Suffolk County District Attorney said. A judge sentenced him to 17 to 20 years for manslaughter. He was also sentenced to four years for an illegal firearm possession charge, which will be served concurrently.
Maraj and several others were watching the fireworks at Stonehurst Street and Norton Street in Dorchester on July 4, 2020, when he got into a fight with someone else there.
Maraj dropped his gun and a friend picked it up and ran it back to his Maraj's house. His father tried to break up the fight and was stabbed for his efforts, the prosecutor said.
Maraj went home, got the gun, returned, and fired into a crowd of people, fatally wounding Felicity Coleman.
Coleman, 34, had a son she loved dearly, a GoFundMe set up for her family in 2020 said.
Coleman's cousin read an impact statement to the court before the sentence was handed down.
This individual made the decision to carry a firearm doing so illegally. This individual decided to partake in an altercation prior to the fatal shooting that claimed Felicity’s life. This individual decided to pull out his firearm which had been knocked out of his possession however was later retrieved. Then this individual with that same illegal firearm walks back down the street and let out over 8 bullets at two helpless females. ... Although my cousin was not her killer’s direct target, he did have a target in mind. Please remember that this man made his decision to kill prior to doing so. The intent was in his heart to murder somebody, anybody as it was heard on the cameras. So I pray your honor you show the same mercy he did that night when he took Felicity Coleman away from us.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden called Maraj's actions "reprehensible" in a statement.
“This defendant made the reprehensible — and ultimately deadly — decision to indulge his rage by firing into a group of people who were gathered to enjoy fireworks in honor of Independence Day," he said. "That decision cost Felicity Coleman her life and handed her family and friends unending sorrow and grief."
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