Greenfield man convicted of second-degree murder

A 24-year-old Greenfield man has been convicted of second-degree murder for the stabbing death of another man in July 2012.

Joaquin Garcia Soto also was convicted of burglary and use of a deadly weapon.

Soto broke into the Greenfield home of Israel Ramirez on July 10, 2012 and went for Ramirez’ throat with a knife. Ramirez was sitting on his couch watching television with his child’s mother at the time.

Ramirez grabbed a kitchen knife after he was stabbed and tried to defend himself and his family. Authorities found him dead in a hallway outside his apartment – he’d suffered multiple knife wounds.

Prosecutors said no motive for the crime was ever established.

Soto will be sentenced on Aug. 21. He faces a mandatory sentence of 15 years to life on the murder conviction.