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On December 26, 2000, a mass shooting took place at Edgewater Technology in Wakefield, Massachusetts, United States. Michael Morgan McDermott, an employee at Edgewater Technology, shot and killed seven of his coworkers. It is the deadliest mass shooting in Massachusetts history.

The weapons he used were an AK-47 variant, a 12-gauge shotgun and a .32 caliber pistol. He fired off a total of 37 rounds, shooting his victims in the back of the head repeatedly. Police later found a .460-calibre Weatherby Mark V rifle in McDermott's locker.

He was found by police sitting calmly and stated that he did not speak German. At trial, he stated that he was born without a soul and that God had allowed him to earn a soul by traveling back in time to kill Nazis. However, the prosecution asserted that the killings were motivated by his employer's garnishment of his wages for the IRS in order to pay back taxes that he owed. Evidence also showed that he had researched how to fake mental illness.

McDermott was found guilty of seven counts of first degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Fatalities

• Jennifer Bragg Capobianco, 29, marketing
• Janice Hagerty, 46, office manager
• Louis A. Javelle, 58, director of consulting
• Rose Manfredi, 48, payroll
• Paul Marceau, 36, development technician
• Cheryl Troy, 50, human resources director
• Craig Wood, 29, human resources

Perpetrator

Michael Morgan McDermott was born Michael McDermod Martinez in Plymouth, Massachusetts, on September 4, 1958, and grew up in nearby Marshfield. He was the second of four children to Richard and Rosemary (née Reardon) Martinez, who both worked as teachers. In 1976, he graduated from Marshfield High, where he was rather popular among his peers according to a former classmate.

Shortly after graduating high school, McDermott enlisted in the United States Navy and served for six years as an electrician's mate, most of which was spent on the USS Narwhal. He was eventually honorably discharged with the rank of electrician's mate petty officer second class.

From 1982 to 1988, McDermott worked for the Maine Yankee Nuclear Power Plant. He then moved to Weymouth, Massachusetts, and began work in research and development for Duracell. In 1992, McDermott married Monica Sheehan. They divorced several years later. Around this time, McDermott began to gain significant weight. In 2000, after Duracell announced it would soon move to Bethel, Connecticut, McDermott resigned and later joined Edgewater Technology that same year.

In October 2000, McDermott moved out of his apartment in South Weymouth after failing to pay his rent, leaving the residence in a derelict state and owing the landlord $1,720. He then moved into an apartment in Haverhill.

It later emerged that, in addition to his other financial troubles, McDermott had owed roughly $5,000 in back taxes to the IRS and that Edgewater Technology had withheld a portion of his wages in order to comply with an order by the IRS.

As of 2024, McDermott is incarcerated at Old Colony Correctional Center in Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

Media references

McDermott is cited in the 2003 psychology book Why We Hate.

In 2008, his case was studied on the psychology program Most Evil.

Commemorations

A cherry tree was planted outside of Edgewater Technology's offices in Wakefield in memory of the seven victims. Every December, carnation flowers are woven into the branches in their memory.

See also

• List of mass shootings in the United States

References

1. Saltzman, Jonathan; Andersen, Travis (December 26, 2010). "Emotions raw 10 years after shooting". The Boston Globe. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
2. Goldberg, Carey (December 28, 2000). "A Deadly Turn to a Normal Work Day". The New York Times. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
3. Stout, David (December 28, 2000). "Man Charged In Killings Evaded Strict Gun Laws". The New York Times. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
4. "McDermott, Commonwealth vs., 448 Mass. 750". masscases.com.
5. O'Regan, Chris (April 24, 2002). "Worker Found Guilty In Office Slaying". CBS News. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
6. Emery, Theo (December 27, 2000). "Families, friends grapple with seven Wakefield slayings". Associated Press. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
7. "Story of accused killer depends on whom you ask". Associated Press. December 29, 2000. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
8. Labi, Nadya (January 8, 2001). "Portrait Of A Killer". Time. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
9. ^ "Suspect's history yields few clues". Cape Cod Times. Associated Press. December 30, 2000. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
10. "In Wake of Killings, Strands of Suspect's Life". The New York Times. December 28, 2000. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
11. "Report: Wakefield shooting suspect owed IRS less than $5K". Associated Press. January 3, 2001. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
12. "Report and Recommendation Re:Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus" (PDF). www.govinfo.gov. October 25, 2011. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
13. Dozier, Rush (2003). Why We Hate. McGraw-Hill. p. 352. ISBN 978-0809224791.
14. "Most Evil: Season 2". Retrieved May 13, 2012.
15. "Survivor of Mass Shooting on Healing Process". NECN. March 21, 2014.

External links

• 7 Die in Rampage at Company; Co-Worker of Victims Arrested, The New York Times (December 27, 2000)
• A Deadly Turn to a Normal Work Day, The New York Times (December 28, 2000)
• 7 Die in Massachusetts Office Shooting, The Washington Post (December 27, 2000)
• In Wake of Killings, Strands of Suspect's Life, The New York Times (December 28, 2000)
• Gunman kills 7 at net firm, The Guardian (December 27, 2000)
• McDermott found guilty of Edgewater murders: Judge sentences him to seven consecutive life sentences The Daily News Transcript (April 24, 2002)

v t e Wakefield, Massachusetts
Incorporated in 1812 Based in Middlesex County, Massachusetts Population 27,090
General information	Wakefield photos History Crimes Massacre Standoff Geography Climate Demographics 2010 Census 2000 Census Government Education Neighborhoods Transportation Media Points of Interest Annual events Sports Notable residents Suggested reading Government Board of Selectmen (BOS)/Town Council Finance Committee (FinCom) School Committee/Wakefield Public Schools (WPS) Board of Health (BOH) Board of Appeals (ZBA) Fence Viewers WWII Memorial Committee Full list of governmental positions
Institutions	Camp Curtis Guild Center for Applied Special Technology Daily Item Daily Times Chronicle Hockey East (headquartered in Wakefield) Lucius Beebe Memorial Library MBTA bus routes MBTA stations Wakefield Greenwood Nazareth Academy Our Lady of Nazareth Academy Paul K. Guillow, Inc. Wakefield High School (WHS) Wakefield Savings Bank Xura, Inc.
Attractions	Pleasure Island (defunct) Lake Quannapowitt Saugus River
Notable residents	Russell Banks Lucius Beebe Elizabeth Boit Bruce Brown Jr. Scott Brown Joe Cannata Rich Ceisler Carleton S. Coon David Dellinger Anthony Fabiano Ernie Gahan Kayla Harrison Israel Horovitz Mark Kumpel Dave Lapham John Lilley Rachel Levine A. David Mazzone Marcia Pankratz Jimmy Pedro Quonopohit Buffy Sainte-Marie Louis Sullivan Richard Tisei Ernest Tyzzer John Anthony Volpe Cyrus Wakefield (namesake) Burrage Yale
National Historic Places (Houses)	18A & 20 Aborn Av. 6 Adams St. 380 Albion St. Avon St. 23 25 5 Bennett St. E. Boardman House Elizabeth Boit House Chestnut St. 15 21 95 39 Converse St. 28 Cordis St. Cowdry Houses Jonas Nathaniel 40 Crescent St. Emerson-Franklin Poole House 26 Francis Av. Captain Goodwin-James Eustis House Samuel Gould House Capt. William Green House Deacon Daniel Green House 118 Greenwood St. 20 Hancock Rd. 42 Hopkins St. Dr. Charles Jordan House Deacon Thomas Kendall House 15 Lawrence St. Lawrence St. 20 23 556 Lowell St. Main St. 190 196 1 Morrison Av. Morrison Rd. 20 32 2 Nichols St. 509 North Av. 52 Oak St. Oliver House Park St. 8 18 22 Parker Rd. Prospect St. 88 90 Richardson Avenue Rowhouses 35–37 38–48 Dr. S. O. Richardson House Salem St. 7 19–21 38 113 Sheffield Rd. 13 30 Dr. Thomas Simpson House 54 Spring St. William Stimpson House Sweetser Houses Daniel Michael D. Horace Tilton House 193 Vernon St. 12 W. Water St. Wave Av. 11 15 9 White Av. 28 Wiley St. Suell Winn House Charles Winship House 1 Woodcrest Dr.
National Historic Places (Buildings and Districts)	Beacon Street Tomb Beebe Homestead Center (or Centre) Depot Church–Lafayette Sts. Hist. Dist. Common District Flanley's Block Greenwood Union Church Col. James Hartshorne House Item Building Lakeside Cemetery Chapel Lynnwood Massachusetts State Armory South Reading Academy St. Joseph School Temple Israel Cemetery Main Post Office Wakefield Park Wakefield Rattan Company Wakefield Trust Company Wakefield Upper Depot H. M. Warren School West Ward School Woodville School Woodward Homestead Yale Avenue Historic District
v t e Neighboring towns Reading (Template) North Reading Lynnfield (Template) I-93/ Woburn (Template) Wakefield Breakheart Reservation Stoneham (Template) Melrose (Template) Saugus (Template)
Media related to Wakefield at Wikimedia Commons

• Massacres in 2000
• 2000 in Massachusetts
• 2000 murders in the United States
• 2000 mass shootings in the United States
• Attacks in the United States in 2000
• Deaths by firearm in Massachusetts
• December 2000 crimes in the United States
• History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts
• Mass shootings in Massachusetts
• Mass shootings in the United States
• Murder in Massachusetts
• Wakefield, Massachusetts
• Workplace violence in the United States
• Mass shootings involving shotguns