BARNSTABLE, Mass. – In a brief interview on the steps of Barnstable Superior Court, murder suspect Justin Peckham expressed his current demeanor through one-finger hand gestures while being led into the courthouse for his scheduled arraignment this morning. Peckham answered, “I didn’t kill anybody” when asked if he “killed Eric?” As in Eric Christensen, who was gunned down in cold blood last December.
On the evening of Wednesday, December 8, 2021, police received a 911 call for a medical emergency at 91 Oakview Terrace in Hyannis. Upon arrival, police observed 50-year-old Eric Christensen on his kitchen floor with an apparent gunshot wound to the head. Christensen was immediately rushed to Cape Cod Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
About two weeks after the heartless homicide, Cape & Islands District Attorney Michael O’Keefe announced that Justin Peckham, age 29 at the time, and who was showing an address in Boston at the time, was arrested and charged in connection with the murder of Eric Christensen at his Hyannis home.
Justin Peckham, pictured in the following 2012 BPD booking photo for a separate charge, was arraigned earlier on December 24, 2021 in Barnstable District Court on one count of Murder and one count of Assault and Battery by means of the Discharge of a Firearm. He was then held without bail.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION – The following is a 2012 Barnstable Police media statement where Peckham was accused of leaving his one-year-old son behind in a getaway vehicle before trying to evade arrest by hiding in an underground drainpipe for 4 hours:
“Larceny suspect hides in a storm drain in an attempt to elude police…
A busy weekend for the Barnstable Police Patrol Division and Barnstable Street Crime Unit (SCU) included the arrest of a West Yarmouth man that fled into a “storm drain” attempting to make his escape. Life imitated art as Justin M Peckham, age 20, of West Yarmouth mimicked “John Rambo from First Blood” and “Andy Dufresne from Shawshank Redemption”. However, PECKHAM attempted escape did not fare as well.
On 06/16/2012, at 5:49pm Barnstable Police Officer Scott Leger responded to Sears, Cape Cod Mall, Rte 132, Hyannis for a shoplifting suspect that had fled on foot from Sears Loss Prevention (SLP). PECKHAM was stopped as he attempted to load a 55” inch television set into a vehicle waiting outside. The vehicle was operated by a 20 yr male from South Yarmouth. Also in the vehicle was PECKHAM’s one (1) year old son.
When first encountered by SLP, PECKHAM was cooperative and produced his identification. When he heard that Barnstable Police Officers were already responding, PECKHAM jumped into the waiting vehicle and told his associate to drive away. The associate refused and PECKHAM took off on foot leaving his identification and one (1) year old son behind.
PECKHAM jumped over a “storm water pond” fence and could be heard splashing in the water. Responding police units and SLP searched the area but could not locate PECKHAM. It was later learned that PECKHAM had entered a storm drain and would hide out under ground in the storm drain pipes for almost four (4) hours.
At 9:30pm, BPD Dispatch received a call that a person was observed exiting a “man hole” in the CCM parking lot near Macy’s. The person observed exiting the “man hole” was later learned to be PECKHAM.
Barnstable Patrol Unit and SCU members responded to the area. PECKMAN was arrested by SCU Member Peter Ginnetty on Hiramar Road, Hyannis.
At the time of his arrest, PECKHAM had a “fist sized” rock on his person. PECKHAM told investigators he armed himself for fear rodents may try and attack him while he crawled through the storm drain system. He said he did not encounter any but did have to crawl over six (6) or so dead ones. PECKHAM had crawled over a couple hundred yards inside the storm drain pipe system in an attempt to avoid arrest and spent four (4) hours underground.
He reported no injuries and was transported to BPD for booking. hey [was] arraigned in Barnstable District Court on Monday June 18th on a single charge of Larceny Over $250.00. A report was filed with the Department of Children and Family relating to PECKHAM leaving his one (1) son at Sears.”
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Now accused of murder, Peckham arrived at Barnstable Superior Court this morning to be formally arranged in the Eric Christensen murder case…
The following HN video highlights Peckham’s arrival, hand gestures, and short response to HN’s question as to whether he killed Eric.
[HN VIDEO – PRESS PLAY]
* All suspects are presumed to be innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law…
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