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Josh Lanier

Assistant Managing Editor

jlanier@dailyvoice.com

Josh Lanier started his reporting career in high school for his local newspaper. Many — many — years later, he’s still chasing leads for compelling stories. During his time writing for newspapers, magazines, and online publications, he’s covered everything from murderers to mommy bloggers, but his most interesting story is always the next one.

Josh is a native of Charlotte, NC, where he is a member of a sketch comedy group in his spare time. 

Josh Lanier's Contributions

News
Mom Of 6-Year-Old Who Drowned In Westford Lake Asks For Help: 'Incredibly Difficult' Mom Of 6-Year-Old Who Drowned In Westford Lake Asks For Help: 'Incredibly Difficult'
Mom Of 6-Year-Old Who Drowned In Westford Lake Asks For Help: 'Incredibly Difficult' Community support has poured in for the family of a 6-year-old non-verbal autistic boy who drowned over the weekend in a Westford Lake after the child's mother created a fundraising campaign.   The body of Zayan Mayanja was found in Nabnasset Lake on Sunday, June 23, after he snuck out of a window at his family's home on Chestnut Road.  Nazifah Namaganda, Zayan's mother, wrote that her son loved to read and cared about animals. She created a GoFundMe to help cover the cost of the boy's funeral, which was held on Wednesday, June 26.  It's with gr…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Man Indicted For Fatal Shooting In Worcester Last Year Man Indicted For Fatal Shooting In Worcester Last Year
Man Indicted For Fatal Shooting In Worcester Last Year A Worcester man was indicted last week with fatally shooting a 29-year-old on a Worcester street in November 2023, authorities said.  Jose Ortiz Maldonado, 25, is charged with murder, as well as kidnapping, strangulation, two counts of armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery on a family or household member, possession of a firearm without a license, possession of ammunition without an FID card, and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling, the Worcester County District Attorney said.  Mald…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
'Barbaric Attack': 2 Men Who Burned Victim During Springfield Home Invasion Sentenced 'Barbaric Attack': 2 Men Who Burned Victim During Springfield Home Invasion Sentenced
'Barbaric Attack': 2 Men Who Burned Victim During Springfield Home Invasion Sentenced Two men found guilty of torturing and permanently disfiguring a Springfield man during a 2019 home invasion were sentenced to decades in prison on Thursday, June 27, authorities said.  Paul Gayle, 30, and Malik Erskine, 24, both of Springfield, were found guilty of multiple violent felonies in the "barbaric attack," Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni. Markendall Johnson, now 21, who was charged as a youthful offender because of his age on the day of the robbery, was also convicted in the case. Gayle was sentenced to 35 to 40 years in state prison, and a judge gave …

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by Josh Lanier
News
$100K Lottery Ticket Sold At Appropriately Named Weymouth Store $100K Lottery Ticket Sold At Appropriately Named Weymouth Store
$100K Lottery Ticket Sold At Appropriately Named Weymouth Store It's been a lucky week for one Bay Stater after they won a six-figure payday from the Massachusetts State Lottery. The $100,000 prize was collected on Wednesday, June 26, after the winner correctly guessed the five numbers in the daily Mass Cash drawing. On Thursday, those were: 2, 5, 6, 8, 19.  The winner's name was not announced.  The ticket was sold at the appropriately named Butts & Bets II in Weymouth at 99 Pleasant St. The store will get a $1,000 reward for the sale.  The jackpot was the biggest of the day on Wednesday. There were 519 people who won $600 or m…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Palmer Woman Guilty In Fatal Stabbing Of Friend Who Tried To Help Her: DA Palmer Woman Guilty In Fatal Stabbing Of Friend Who Tried To Help Her: DA
Palmer Woman Guilty In Fatal Stabbing Of Friend Who Tried To Help Her: DA A 58-year-old Hampden County woman is expected to spend the rest of her life behind bars for the brutal murder of a friend who was trying to help her, authorities said.  Brenda Mayhew, of Three Rivers, was found guilty of first-degree murder in the 2021 fatal stabbing of Marcia Wilson in her home in Palmer, the Hampden District Attorney said. The penalty for first-degree murder is life in prison without parole.  Police received a 911 call about an attack at 15 Fox Street in Palmer. When officers tried to open the door, they couldn't budge it. The body of Marcia Wilson had fal…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Stoneham High 'Begging' For Equipment Return After Alumni Swipes Gear During Walk-Through Stoneham High 'Begging' For Equipment Return After Alumni Swipes Gear During Walk-Through
Stoneham High 'Begging' For Equipment Return After Alumni Swipes Gear During Walk-Through Stoneham High is pleading with the people who stole the school's athletic equipment to return it so the students can continue playing sports.   Thousands of dollars worth of sports gear was stolen during an alumni walk-through at the previous school building at 149 Franklin St. on Tuesday, March 25, the school said in a post on X.  To all StonehamSpartans. I am desperately asking for your help. There was a huge misunderstanding. At last nights alumni walk through of the old high school before it gets torn down. Many people found their way into a locked room and took our cu…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Missing Fall River 1-Year-Old Found Safe In Alabama After Mom Kidnaps Him: Police Missing Fall River 1-Year-Old Found Safe In Alabama After Mom Kidnaps Him: Police
Missing Fall River 1-Year-Old Found Safe In Alabama After Mom Kidnaps Him: Police A missing Massachusetts baby was found safe in Alabama after the boy's mother ran away with the child, authorities said.  The baby went missing on the morning of Thursday, June 20, from Fall River. Genezza Packett, the boy's mother had told the child's aunt, who has custody of the child, that she wanted to take her son to a local Dunkin' and would return to the apartment immediately after, State Police said.  The mom and the baby didn't return. Despite Packett facing multiple non-violent felonies, since she hadn't made any threats, Amber Alert authorities said the matter did not n…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Ex-Brighton High School Staffer Who Worked With At-Risk Teens Charged With Raping Child: DA Ex-Brighton High School Staffer Who Worked With At-Risk Teens Charged With Raping Child: DA
Ex-Brighton High School Staffer Who Worked With At-Risk Teens Charged With Raping Child: DA A former high school staffer who worked with at-risk teenagers has been charged with 30 sex crimes involving children, including forcible rape, child pornography, and trafficking, authorities said.  John Jamar Cokley, 38, of Boston, is accused of seven counts of sex trafficking of a child, five counts of aggravated rape of a child, one count of rape of a child by force, three counts of posing a child in a state of nudity, four counts of posing a child in a state of sexual conduct, four counts of enticing a child under 18 into commercial sex, two counts of inducing a minor to sell a…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Monson Man Killed In Ware Crash ID'd As 21-Year-Old Monson Man Killed In Ware Crash ID'd As 21-Year-Old
Monson Man Killed In Ware Crash ID'd As 21-Year-Old Authorities have identified the 21-year-old who died in a Hampshire County crash earlier this week as a 21-year-old Ware man.  Joseph J. Lynch, of Monson, died on Sunday, June 23, after being involved in a crash on Route 9 near Anderson Road just before 6 p.m., the Northwestern District Attorney said. Another person in the vehicle was airlifted to UMass-Worcester with life-threatening injuries. Two people in the other car, both from Ware, were taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield with non-life-threatening injuries.   Ware police are investigating the cause of the …

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Holden Man Tried To Take Gun Into Leominster Hospital: Police Holden Man Tried To Take Gun Into Leominster Hospital: Police
Holden Man Tried To Take Gun Into Leominster Hospital: Police A 27-year-old man was arrested after security at a Worcester County hospital said he tried to bring a gun into the building and made threats when he wasn't allowed in, authorities said.  Darius Webb, of Holden, was barred from entering UMass Memorial Health HealthAlliance — Clinton Hospital on Monday afternoon, June 24, after authorities spotted the firearm during a security screening, Leominster police. As he left, Webb allegedly made "threatening communications." Police locked down the building following the incident, reports said.  Leominster police issued a be-on-the-lookout …

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by Josh Lanier
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