Salem Teen Sentenced for Shooting Girlfriend in Beverly

Alexander Muzarol, who was 14 when the shooting occurred, pleaded guilty in Salem Juvenile Court to an armed attack intended to kill, battery using a dangerous weapon that caused serious bodily harm, and illegal possession of a firearm. Prosecutors said he shot his girlfriend in the head on Simon Street in Beverly on October 11, 2025. The victim suffered severe, permanent injuries.

Prosecutors had asked for an eight- to 10-year sentence, with Muzarol placed in Department of Youth Services custody until age 18. The judge instead ordered 37 months in custody, with placement in the youth services system until he turns 21. Prosecutors said he is unlikely to spend any time in a state prison.

At sentencing, the victim described the lasting effects on her and her family. “The crime did not just affect me on the day I was shot; it affects me every single day,” she said. Essex District Attorney Paul F. Tucker said his office sought a prison sentence because of the seriousness of the crime and the victim’s lifelong injuries. Muzarol’s case was brought under the youthful-offender designation in December. Massachusetts law allows young people charged with certain offenses to receive adult sentences, first served in a youth services facility, with a possible move to adult prison by age 21.