A man was found guilty of murder after Everett High's home game

A man has been convicted of murdering a spectator after a homecoming football game in Everett, the Middlesex County district attorney announced Tuesday.

Michael Stanton shot 20-year-old Craig McDonald Jr. of Randolph with an illegally obtained weapon on Oct. 22, 2021, the statement said. According to prosecutors, the conflict between the two men began on social media. A statement of facts said McDonald Jr.'s girlfriend had “disrespected” Stanton's best friend online.

The two men were at the homecoming game while Stanton and his friends were “actively monitoring” McDonald Jr., court documents said. During halftime, Stanton and his friends, known as the “Villa Ave” group, donned masks and hoods, documents said. The Villa Ave members followed McDonald Jr. to the parking lot and shot him in his car, prosecutors said.

According to court documents, a friend of McDonald Jr. drove him to the hospital before police arrived. According to court documents, McDonald died later that night.

“This case is an example of the dangerous trend of young people illegally possessing firearms and using them to commit violence in our communities,” said District Attorney Marian Ryan. “While nothing can mitigate the harm caused by this defendant, this prosecution reflects our commitment to holding accountable those who commit these violent acts.”

Stanton, who was 19 at the time of the shooting, was tried and sentenced in Middlesex Superior Court. According to court documents, Judge Laurence Pierce sentenced Stanton on Wednesday to 19 years in prison with the possibility of parole.

Stanton's representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.