By O’Ryan Johnson
Boston Herald
Copyright 2008 Boston Herald
BOSTON — Former colleagues and friends of life-saver turned on-the-lam alleged killer Andrew Boisvert said he and his ex-wife were involved in a bitter custody battle over their daughter, which led him to her doorstep the day she was killed.
Friends of the victim, Margaret Ninos, said her ex-husband, a 37-year-old Waltham paramedic, did not spend a lot of time with the 7-year-old girl they shared. But one of the suspect’s EMT colleagues said he was involved in a court fight to win more visits with their child.
“He was a family guy, he was remarried with a new wife and a new kid,” said the work place source. “His ex-wife caused a lot of stress over custody issues.”
The source said Boisvert had custody of the child for one weekend a month, and had a visit one Wednesday out of the month, but wanted to see the girl more. The source added that Boisvert had no discipline history in his 10 years with American Medical Response, the ambulance service for which he worked.
Norfolk District Attorney’s office spokesman David Traub said Boisvert has been on the run since Thursday and a murder warrant was issued Friday. Police and neighbors said Boisvert placed the 911 call that brought cops to the Medfield crime scene Wednesday about 7 p.m. Family and friends of the slain woman said on the day she was killed the two were set to talk about their custody troubles.
Cops questioned Boisvert at the scene and then more the following day but allowed him to leave. Steven Ninos, the brother of the slain woman, said family members are “dumbfounded” as to how Boisvert could so easily walk away.
“I’m dumbfounded, everybody’s dumbfounded,” Steven Ninos said. “We’re all wondering why? But I’m not going to start pointing fingers. That’s not the focus right now. We’re focusing on getting him caught and getting him tried. There’s nothing you can do to change it.”
Traub declined to discuss specifically why Boisvert was allowed to walk.
The estranged couple’s daughter, Maggie, has been told her mother is dead, but not how or that her father is the suspected killer, said uncle Steven Ninos.
Family members and neighbors said the girl was not home and did not witness her mother’s murder, however she was sent by her father to a neighbor’s home shortly after her mother’s body was discovered, said a neighbor who was interviewed by police.
He said she was placed with a family by the Department of Social Services. She had a play date yesterday with a family friend and a local toy store donated dozens of presents to keep the girl occupied while she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her mother.
“She cried, but does she really understand?” Steven Ninos said. “I don’t think so. Not these days when you press reset or change the channel and the person who was dead is alive.”