A Worcester Superior Court jury has convicted Christopher Fuller of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Ernest A. Appiah, an acquaintance whose body was found dumped in the snowy woods off Asnebumskit Road in Paxton in March 2022. The verdict was delivered around noon on Thursday, October 22, 2026, capping an eight-day trial and lengthy deliberations, according to the Telegram & Gazette.
TL;DR: Christopher Fuller was found guilty of first-degree murder for shooting Ernest A. Appiah to death in the early morning of Feb. 28, 2022, after the two left a Worcester adult entertainment club, Centerfolds. Appiah’s body was found a week later by a woman walking her dog in Paxton woods. Fuller’s cell phone was found near the body, and gun residue was discovered in his car.
A Night Out That Ended in a Fatal Shooting
In opening statements delivered on October 13, Assistant District Attorney Timothy A. Westerman laid out the prosecution’s case. He told jurors that Fuller shot Appiah to death in the early morning hours of February 28, 2022, after the pair left Centerfolds, an adult entertainment club in Worcester.
Westerman said the two men were in Fuller’s car when Fuller fatally shot Appiah once in the chest. Appiah’s body was then dumped in the snowy woods off Asnebumskit Road in Paxton, where it remained for about a week before a woman walking her dog discovered it.
The Evidence That Led to Fuller
Investigators zeroed in on Fuller through a critical piece of evidence: his own cell phone, which was found near Appiah’s body in the Paxton woods. Detectives also found gun residue inside Fuller’s car — physical evidence linking him directly to the shooting.
The combination of the phone’s location and the residue in the vehicle formed the backbone of the prosecution’s case, placing Fuller at the scene and tying him to the gun that killed Appiah.
The Defense’s Concession — and the Key Dispute
In an unusual move, Fuller’s own lawyer acknowledged in court that Fuller had gunned down Appiah. The defense argued, however, that Fuller was guilty of second-degree murder at most — challenging the prosecution’s claim that the killing was premeditated.
The distinction mattered enormously. First-degree murder in Massachusetts requires proof of premeditation or extreme atrocity and cruelty, and it carries a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole. Second-degree murder, by contrast, is an intentional killing without premeditation.
The case went to the 12-member jury on Monday. After lengthy deliberations, jurors sided with the prosecution, finding that the killing was premeditated.
“Murder, Murder, in the First Degree”
At the close of the trial, Judge Adam L. Sistsky asked the foreperson to read the verdict twice. She said: “Murder, murder, in the first degree.”
Fuller was swiftly escorted out of the courtroom in handcuffs. The verdict brings a measure of resolution to a case that began more than four years ago with a grim discovery in the woods off Asnebumskit Road.
The Victim
Ernest A. Appiah was described in court as an acquaintance of Fuller. The two were together at Centerfolds in Worcester on the night of February 27 into the morning of February 28, 2022, before the fatal encounter in Fuller’s car. His body lay in the snowy Paxton woods for roughly a week until the dog walker’s discovery brought the case to light.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Christopher Fuller?
Christopher Fuller is the defendant convicted of first-degree murder by a Worcester Superior Court jury on October 22, 2026, for the shooting death of Ernest A. Appiah.
What was Fuller convicted of?
First-degree murder. The jury found the killing was premeditated, siding with the prosecution over the defense’s argument that it was second-degree murder at most.
Who was the victim?
Ernest A. Appiah, an acquaintance of Fuller. He was shot once in the chest in Fuller’s car in the early morning of February 28, 2022, and his body was dumped in woods off Asnebumskit Road in Paxton.
How was the body found?
A woman walking her dog discovered Appiah’s body in the snowy woods off Asnebumskit Road in Paxton about a week after the killing.
What evidence linked Fuller to the killing?
Fuller’s cell phone was found near the body in Paxton, and investigators found gun residue in Fuller’s car. His own lawyer acknowledged in court that Fuller gunned down Appiah.
Where did Fuller and Appiah go before the shooting?
According to the prosecution’s opening statements, the two men left Centerfolds, an adult entertainment club in Worcester, in the early morning of February 28, 2022, before the shooting occurred in Fuller’s car.
What did the judge say at the verdict?
Judge Adam L. Sistsky asked the foreperson to read the verdict twice. She said: “Murder, murder, in the first degree.” Fuller was then escorted out of the courtroom in handcuffs.
How long was the trial?
The trial lasted eight days, and the case went to the 12-member jury on Monday before the verdict was delivered around noon on Thursday, October 22.
