Life Sentence Imposed in Asiyanna Jones Murder

03:15PM / Wednesday, December 21, 2022Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Gary Linen, 42, has been sentenced to life in state prison in the murder of Asiyanna Jones.

Lengthy state prison sentences were handed down by Judge John Agostini on Wednesday for those responsible for the death of of the 22-year-old Jones.

In addition to Linen, Carey Pilot was sentenced to serve 15 to 20 years in state prison for manslaughter, and Elizabeth Perez to serve two to four years in state prison for misleading a police officer in the homicide investigation.

The commonwealth had requested sentences of the statutorily required life in prison for Linen, 18 to 20 years in prison for Pilot, and a significant state prison sentence for misleading a police officer during a homicide investigation for Perez. Defense attorneys requested life for Linen, four to six years for Pilot, and a two-and-a-half-year split sentence at the House of Correction for Perez.

Last week, a jury returned the guilty verdicts in the Oct. 2, 2017, shooting death. Pilot, 50, and Linen, 42, engaged in a gunfight on Dewey Avenue in Pittsfield on that evening and a bullet struck Jones, who was inside a car. Perez, 30, lied to police during the investigation.

"I thank Asiyanna Jones' family for their powerful victim witness statements they delivered in court today and I am proud of the trial team for their meticulous work in obtaining these convictions," District Attorney Andrea Harrington said.

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

Tags: murder,

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Lanesborough Officials Begin Budget Deliberations

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
11:35AM / Monday, March 09, 2026

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The Select Board and Finance Committee last week began a detailed look at the needs for the fiscal 2027 budget from the Police, Fire and Library departments.

Both the Police and Fire departments will be asking for capital funds toward replacement vehicles.

Chair Deborah Maynard laid out the format and cautioned the participants that it was going to "be a civil meeting."

"There's not going to be any yelling or talking out of turn, but we certainly would recommend and be glad to hear questions from the audience as we discuss these department budgets," she said.

There have been recent complaints about angry comments and yelling at some town board meetings.

Police Chief Rob Derksen presented a budget increase of $277,717, around 4 percent, but noted that police salaries are currently in negotiations. He separated his budget from the Baker Hill Road District, which is currently under discussion to be dissolved. The draft said the department had a 44 percent increase, but that was combined with the Baker Hill Road District.

Derksen said the department is running under budget and that compared to the national average spending on local law enforcement of $407 per capita annually, Lanesborough spends around $313. He also said the average operating budget is 10 to 15 percent of the municipal budget and that the department is operating at almost 7 percent.

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