Man gets 40 years for fatal attack on uncle

A Massachusetts man has been sentenced to at least 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to fatally stabbing his uncle and severely injuring his aunt in their own home nearly two years ago.

Elijah Michonski, 20, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Franklin Superior Court to charges including second-degree murder and armed assault with intent to murder in the July 2020 killing of Nicholas Weir, 41, and the attack on Teresa Weir, 39, in Montague, according to the office of Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan.

Michonski, 18 at the time, had been living with his aunt and uncle for more than two years up until June 2020 when he was asked to leave, prosecutors said.

He returned and broke in, attacked his aunt first, then his uncle when he tried to intervene, before stealing their car and leaving the scene, prosecutors said. He later turned himself in.

Nicholas Weir died at the hospital the day after the attack. Teresa Weir suffered 13 stab wounds, a fractured skull and a concussion, prosecutors said.

Michonski had faced a first-degree murder charge, but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge to spare the victims' family the trauma of a trial, prosecutors said.

Michonski's attorney says her client is remorseful.