Peabody double murder trial begins

SALEM, Mass. — Attorneys have made opening statements in the trial of the man charged with killing a Peabody couple in February 2017.

Wes Doughty, 42, is facing first-degree murder charges in the shooting death of Mark Greenlaw and stabbing death of Greenlaw’s fiancé Jennifer O'Conner.

Prosecutors described a complicated set of relationships and conflicts that were going on between the people living at the home, which police said was a crack house.

"He put her on the bed and Wes Doughty repeatedly slit and slashed her throat while she begged," said Kate MacDougall of the Essex District Attorney’s office.

Doughty and his accomplice, Michael Hebb, who is already serving time in the case, got away but were later caught. Police said the couple’s bodies were found wrapped in rugs in the basement of the drug house.

“You will hear that Wes Doughty and Michael Hebb took their time stripping the bodies, wrapping them in wrappings and carpet, and ultimately transporting them and their belongings down into the basement," MacDougall continued.

Prosecutors said there was a love triangle feud between Hebb, Greenlaw and another woman.

Doughty’s attorney, John Apruzzese, said in opening statements that his client doesn’t dispute what happened, but said that Doughty committed the murders after being outraged at how Greenlaw was treating the 70-year-old leader of the drug house.

Families of both victims were in court. Greenlaw’s mother testified in the case and became very emotional.

Doughty is also charged with attempted arson, kidnapping, carjacking, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

The trial is expected to wrap up by the end of the week or early next week.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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