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Man convicted of tricking woman into signing over home sentenced

LOWELL, Mass. — A man was sentenced to 2 years of probation Friday, convicted of tricking an elderly woman to sign her home over to him before she died.

A judge said Thursday that there was enough evidence that Erika Magill didn’t have the capacity to make the decision about her property.

"There was ample evidence of the deterioration of her condition which apparently the jury accepted and believed," the judge said.

Along with the probation, David St. Hilare has to hand over Magill’s property within 30 days and pay a $3,000 fine.

"Just relief, lots of relief," said Alyssa Miele, a friend of Magill.

Magill lived on 205 Billerica St. in Lowell for about 50 years. After she passed away, her will left the home to a family friendly, but weeks before her death, police said her neighbor, St. Hilaire, stole the home away from her by way of deception.

Police said St. Hilaire, a Lowell city inspector, went to Magill while she was in a nursing home recovering from hip surgery in 2010. Prosecutors say he visited the elderly woman in the hospital, woke her up and tricked her into signing paperwork, witnessed by a co-worker and notary public.

The paperwork outlined a quitclaim deed for her home, which required St. Hilaire to pay less than $100,000 over 15 years unless she died before then. She passed away three weeks later.

State Sen. Eileen Donoghue is the executrix of Magill's will and told Boston 25 News back in 2011 that a roommate in the nursing home alerted authorities as to what happened.

St. Hilare went to court a few years ago for the same crime, but after appeal and no sentence, he wasn't retried until now. He has been living in Magill's home for the past seven years.

Magill's friends said the money from the estate will allow them to finally bury her and bring the closure they need.

St. Hilare's attorney said they will be appealing the sentence.

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