3 Found Guilty in Asiyanna Jones Murder

05:50PM / Thursday, December 15, 2022Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Three people have been convicted on charges related to the 2017 murder of Asiyanna Jones.

After a week and a half trial in Berkshire Superior Court, the jury returned guilty verdicts against Gary Linen, Carey Pilot, and Elizabeth Perez for the Oct. 2, 2017, shooting on Dewey Avenue.

The jury found Linen guilty of murder, Pilot of manslaughter, and Perez for misleading police in the homicide investigation. Judge John Agostini scheduled sentencing for Wednesday.

"I send my condolences to Ms. Jones' family and friends for their tragic loss and hope these convictions give them some satisfaction. I thank the jurors for their careful deliberation of the facts," District Attorney Andrea Harrington said. "I also thank Special Prosecutor [Brett] Vottero, the lead prosecutor, Assistant District Attorney Joseph Yorlano, who assisted, and First Assistant Karen Bell, who oversaw their work on the case.

"Attorney Vottero has handled more than 75 other homicides during his two decades of service to the commonwealth, and his

expertise was key to securing these convictions."

Pilot, 50, and Linen, 42, engaged in a gunfight on Dewey Avenue on Oct. 2, 2017, and a bullet struck Jones, 22, who was inside a car. Jones died at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield the following day.

Perez, 30, lied to police during the investigation.

The Pittsfield Police Department, with assistance from the state police detective unit assigned to the District Attorney's Office, Berkshire County Sheriff's Department, the Berkshire Law Enforcement Task Force, State Police Crime Scene Services, and State Police Firearms Identification Section conducted the investigation.

Tags: murder,

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MassDOT, CSX Agree on Improvements to Support Berkshire Flyer, Passenger Rail

Staff Reports iBerkshires
06:01AM / Thursday, October 08, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The state Department of Transportation and CSX have reached an agreement for local infrastructure improvements that will be a "major step" to making the Berkshire Flyer a permanent seasonal service.

Gov. Maura Healey's administration said the improvements will also help toward the years-long project of expanding passenger rail in Western Massachusetts.

"People in Western Massachusetts have been clear that they want better rail connections, and we're delivering," Healey said in a statement released on Thursday. "This agreement puts the Berkshire Flyer on a path toward permanent seasonal service and invests in the infrastructure we need to keep expanding West-East passenger rail service between Boston and Albany. Combined with new federal funding for modern trains, we're giving people more choices, supporting local businesses and better connecting Western Massachusetts to opportunities across the Northeast."

Mayor Peter Marchetti said the Berkshire Flyer is an important asset to the city and that he was grateful for the investment to make it permanent.

The Berkshire Flyer was established in 2022, connecting the Berkshires directly to New York City for the first time in a half-century. The Amtrak service was based on the seasonal Cape Cod Flyer with the goal to increase tourism opportunities. The 2026 season expanded service with an additional round-trip, including new opportunities for Berkshire County residents to travel to New York City.

The administration also announced that new federal funding awarded to Amtrak for additional modern trainsets will support Compass Rail services, including the Berkshire Flyer and the future Inland Route between Boston, Springfield and New Haven.

Under the new agreement with CSX, MassDOT will fund construction of a siding and other track improvements in the Pittsfield area to increase rail capacity and reduce conflicts between passenger and freight operations. MassDOT will also explore the feasibility of a new platform at the Joseph Scelsi Intermodal Transportation Center.

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