Michelle Carter, 20, has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the suicide death of her boyfriend Conrad Roy III. Carter then 17, was aware of Roy"s plans and encouraged him to commit suicide through text messages. Carter did not alert authorities or Roys"s family of his plan to commit suicide or the location he was at when he killed himself in his truck by carbon monoxide poisoning, July 12, 2014.
During the trial, state prosecutors in Massachuttes showed evidence of numerous of text messages for months between the couple leading to the suicide.
At no time did she tell him to seek help for his feelings about killing himself, but instead talked about the different ways to do it. Prosecutors believe that Carter became annoyed after months of talking about suicide with Roy and told him to prove it. It is believed that Carter encouraged him so she could get attention and play the grieving girlfriend.
Suicide
Conard Roy's body was found in a parking lot in Fairhaven by police. Roy and Carter had been in contact with each while he died. It was discovered on Roy's phone hundreds of messages between the two. Roy and the girl went back and forth between each other while Roy expressed that he was not sure if he wanted to go through with it and was scared.
His girlfriend told him to get back in the truck. She responded to him to do it. She told him the time was right and to get back into the truck. Roy apparently listened to her and got back in. Roy died a short time afterward. At no time in the text messages did she tell not to do it, nor called for help.
Attorney Joseph Cataldo, who represented Carter claimed that Conrad Roy had been suffering from depression since his parent's divorce and that this was not his only attempt at suicide.
Months prior he had tried committing suicide by overdosing unsuccessfully. Cataldo told the court it was Roy's final decision to end his own life and that his client was innocent.
Prosecutors, on the other hand, believed that Carter was heartless and calculating. That she bullied him into suicide. That at any time she could have contacted his family and tell them how he was feeling or even say where he could be found.
Instead, she did nothing while he died.
Verdict
Juvenile Court Judge Lawrence Moniz who presided over the Case found Michelle Carter guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Roy. Judge Moniz stated," that her actions and failure to act, where she had a self-created duty to Mr. Roy since she put him in that toxic environment, which constitutes reckless conduct," Moniz said.
Judge Moniz continued stating," that her conduct caused the death of Mr. Roy and that Miss Carter is a youthful offender," Moniz said.
Prosecutors asked for Michelle Carter to be incarcerated till sentencing and that she was a danger. The judge ordered she be released to her parents pending sentencing but did order Carter not to use electronics to contact people and any social media of any type.
Carter could be sentenced 20 years for involuntary manslaughter.
