Ex-Employee’s Revenge: Double Murder Shocks Town

Business Dispute Turns Deadly: Two Men Gunned Down

On the morning of Monday, March 13th, 2006, a routine start to the workday turned into a scene of unimaginable horror at Allstate Concrete Pumping. Michael Zimiti Jr., the 39-year-old co-owner, arrived at the company’s garage in Wakefield, Massachusetts, expecting a busy week.

He was the first one there, parking his truck and heading into the office upstairs. A few minutes later, his father and business partner, Michael Zimiti Sr., arrived, only to make a grisly discovery.

As Zimiti Sr. tried to open a side door, it stuck on something. Peering through the gap, he saw a man lying face down in a pool of blood just inside the building.

He couldn’t see the man’s face but knew instinctively it wasn’t his son. Heart pounding, Zimiti Sr. backed away, called 911, and then, fearing for his son’s safety, forced open a large garage door to search for him.

A Father’s Worst Nightmare

His frantic calls for his son went unanswered. Zimiti Sr. then raced upstairs to the office, where he found the blood-covered body of his son, Michael Zimiti Jr., slumped in his desk chair. The scene was devastating, a brutal end to a life that had been built on hard work and family dedication.

State Trooper Kevin Baker arrived on the scene, noting that homicides were rare in the typically peaceful town of Wakefield. He was briefed by Detective Richard Cass of the Wakefield Police Department. Two men were dead, both shot.

The first victim, found just inside the side door, was identified as Chester Roberts, a 51-year-old part-time driver and handyman for Allstate Concrete. Roberts had been shot once in the back, likely with a shotgun, with no signs of a struggle or defensive wounds.

Execution-Style Killing

Upstairs, the scene was even more horrific. Michael Zimiti Jr. had been shot multiple times, in the face and chest, with such force that his desk and paperwork were saturated in blood.

He was barely recognizable. Baker noted the execution-style nature of the killing, suggesting Zimiti Jr. was the primary target and was shot while seated, likely before Roberts even arrived.

The lack of forced entry or signs of a struggle initially puzzled investigators. The Zimiti family, being Italian-American and involved in a major construction project known as the Big Dig in Boston, led some to consider organized crime connections.

However, Detective Cass, who knew the family, found this hard to believe, though he conceded it was possible given the Big Dig’s history of corruption. Baker focused on the business, believing the killer was likely connected to Allstate Concrete, someone who knew Zimiti Jr. would be there early.

Searching for Leads

Investigators began by interviewing Michael Zimiti Sr., who was understandably distraught. He recalled a former coworker, Hank Jennings, who was also his nephew, had a grudge against him and his son over unpaid overtime wages.

Jennings had even filed a lawsuit, though a settlement was eventually paid. This provided the first concrete lead in the case.

Meanwhile, surveillance footage from nearby businesses provided a crucial timeline. A green pickup truck was seen entering the Allstate parking lot shortly after Zimiti Jr. arrived and leaving just minutes before Zimiti Sr. arrived. This truck and its driver became a primary focus, though the footage was not clear enough to identify the driver or license plate.

A Web of Deceit

Further interviews with Zimiti Jr.’s wife, Michelle, revealed a hidden layer to the case. She confessed to having an affair with a neighbor in Freedom, New Hampshire, named Shawn Fitzpatrick. While she claimed the affair had ended and she and her husband were working on their marriage, her confession placed her, and potentially Fitzpatrick, under suspicion.

However, when police questioned Fitzpatrick, he denied the affair, claiming they were just close family friends. Crucially, he also had an alibi for the morning of the murders, confirmed by a neighbor. This seemed to rule him out, leaving investigators back at square one.

The Disgruntled Relative

With Fitzpatrick seemingly cleared, attention returned to Hank Jennings. Detectives attempted to interview him, but he refused, demanding a lawyer.

His reaction at Michael Zimiti Jr.’s funeral, where he was cornered by investigators, made him the prime suspect. His tense demeanor and refusal to speak without legal counsel strongly suggested his involvement.

Weeks later, in mid-April 2006, investigators were still piecing together the evidence. The autopsies confirmed the cause of death for both victims.

The crime scene yielded little physical evidence like fingerprints or clear footprints due to rain. The focus remained on Hank Jennings, the former employee with a motive and a clear aversion to speaking with law enforcement.

The investigation into Hank Jennings’ potential involvement continued. The case highlighted the devastating impact of workplace disputes and personal betrayals, turning a family business into the scene of a brutal double homicide. The pursuit of justice for Michael Zimiti Jr. and Chester Roberts remained ongoing.

Source: Police thought the murders were a Mafia hit (YouTube)