Courtesy Photo/Telegram & Gazette: State police investigate the area on Asnebumskit Road in Paxton where a man's body was discovered last March.
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SPENCER — A Worcester man was arraigned in East Brookfield District Court today on a murder charge stemming from the death of a man whose body was found in Paxton last March, according to Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early, Jr.
According to a release announcing the arraignment, issued by the Worcester District Attorney’s Office, Christopher Fuller, 30, of Worcester has been charged with one count of murder in the death of Earnest Appiah, a 29-year-old Worcester resident.
Fuller was arrested at his Worcester residence without incident Monday.
Appiah’s body was found by a Paxton resident just before 7 a.m. on March 5 in the woods off of Asnebumskit Road. According to the Worcester District Attorney’s Office, Appiah was shot in the torso and the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Appiah’s death a homicide.
According to court records obtained by the Telegram & Gazette, Fuller shot Appiah in the torso after they left a Worcester business together on Feb. 28. Fuller then buried Appiah’s body in the snow off of Asnebumskit Road and fled to California. A few days after Appiah’s murder, a resident located Appiah’s body in the snow. Police used fingerprints to identify the victim.
A break in the case came for detectives when they were informed that a cell phone belonging to Fuller that was in a cell phone case which also contained his license was found near the body and turned over to Paxton police on March 2.
According to court documents, police pinged two cell phones belonging to Fuller and determined that they were both in the area of the body the night Appiah was suspected of being killed.
Fuller’s white Mercedes was also caught on surveillance camera heading toward Paxton that same night. Police conducted a search of Fuller’s Mercedes and found gunshot residue. Fuller is also alleged to have admitted to police that he killed Appiah and buried him in the snow, according to court records.
A motive for the killing is not known at the present time.
Fuller was held without bail following his arraignment in East Brookfield District Court today. The East Brookfield District Court is presently holding sessions in Spencer. He is scheduled to appear in court again on Aug. 12 for a probable cause hearing.
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