Michael McCarthy was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison with parole eligibility in 20 years for the murder of Bella Bond, the 2-year-old girl whose body was found in a trash bag near Boston two years ago.
McCarthy, the one-time boyfriend of the girl’s mother, Rachelle Bond, was found guilty Monday of second-degree murder in a trial that lasted about a month. Prosecutors said McCarthy killed Bella and said she was a “demon,” and then went on a heroin binge with Rachelle Bond for months.McCarthy’s attorneys said the allegations were largely based on testimony from Rachelle Bond, who they described as a “scheming, manipulative woman” who lied about her daughter’s death to cover up her own guilt.
In Massachusetts, a second-degree murder conviction carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison, with parole eligibility in 15 to 25 years.
Prosecutors said McCarthy shouldn’t be eligible for parole until after 25 years in prison, while the defense sought parole eligibility after 15 years. The judge split the difference in her ruling.
Joseph Amoroso, Bella’s father, read aloud a statement Wednesday at McCarthy’s sentencing lamenting the lost possibilities.
“Bella was a happy and innocent child full of light. She was very smart and learned things rather quickly. She loved Hello Kitty, and she also knew how to make a pizza,” Amoroso said.
“Bella was a gift from God whose life was cut short at such a young age, but Bella was, still is and always will be in my heart and soul.”
Amoroso, who moved away shortly before the child’s birth, never met his daughter but would talk to her over the phone, he testified during the trial. He visited Bond’s home in Boston in September 2015 hoping to meet his daughter, but he was too late.
“I was robbed of my chance to be a father of Bella. No verdict changes that, and no justice on earth fixes that grief,” he said.
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