DA: Man strangled victim with video game console cords

A couple have been charged in connection with the 2009 strangulation a 24-year-old Somerville man authorities said was apparently murdered over his Xbox and Playstation video game systems. Michael Barnett, 32, of Somerville, has been indicted by a grand jury on charges of murder, armed robbery and witness intimidation in the death of Christopher Souza, Middlesex District Attorney Gerard Leone Jr. announced today. Barnett’s girlfriend, Kelly Murray, 32, also of Somerville, pleaded not guilty Friday in Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn to two counts of witness intimidation and was ordered held on $5,000 cash bail, Leone said. Barnett’s arraignment date has not been scheduled. “Thanks to a committed and persistent team of investigators and prosecutors, coupled with new public awareness of this previously unsolved case, the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office obtained new evidence that helped lead to the indictment of the defendant (Barnett) for this senseless strangulation murder,” Leone said. “I applaud the commitment of the Somerville Police and Massachusetts State Police to investigate this crime and work to bring justice for Christopher and his family.” According to police, Souza was discovered by his mother lying motionless on his living room floor the morning of Nov. 23, 2009. He had several cords wrapped around his neck and was already dead. An autopsy determined the cause of death to be strangulation by ligature and the manner of death to be homicide. The investigation revealed Souza’s Xbox and Playstation were missing. Police said the cords from the systems were used to kill him. Authorities believe Barnett did not have any money to pay for drugs and got $50 for the Playstation, which police were able to track to the buyer through its Internet Protocol (IP) address. Murray is accused of lying to police.