Eric Christensen
HYANNIS – Cape & Islands District Attorney Michael O’Keefe announced today the arrest of Justin Peckham, 29, of Boston in connection with the murder of Eric Christensen on December 8th in Hyannis. On that date shortly before 6:00 PM, police received a 911 call for a medical emergency at 91 Oakview Terrace in Hyannis. Upon arrival, police observed Eric Christensen, 50, unresponsive on the kitchen floor with an apparent gunshot wound to the head. Hyannis Fire/Rescue transported Christensen to Cape Cod Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
Peckham was arraigned this morning in Barnstable District Court by the Honorable Edward F.X. Lynch on one count of Murder and one count of Assault and Battery by Means of the Discharge of a Firearm. He is held without bail. A probable cause hearing is scheduled for January 28th, 2022.
The matter remains under active investigation by the Barnstable Police Department and Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the District Attorney’s Office.
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Peckham is no stranger to law enforcement. This is from the CWN archives on June 17th, 2012:
Suspect hides from SCU in sewer drain tunnels
HYANNIS – 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, 20, of West Yarmouth mimicked “John Rambo from First Blood” and “Andy Dufresne from Shawshank Redemption”. However, Peckham’s attempted escape did not fare as well. On Saturday at 5:49 p.m., Barnstable Police Officer Scott Leger responded to Sears at the Cape Cod Mall on Route 132 in 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-year-old male from South Yarmouth. Also in the vehicle was Peckham’s two-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 two-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 hours. At 9:30 p.m., BPD Dispatch received a call that a person was observed exiting a “manhole” in the CCM parking lot near Macy’s. The person observed exiting the “manhole” was later learned to be Peckham. Barnstable Patrol Unit and SCU members responded to the area. Peckham 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 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 hours underground. He reported no injuries and was transported to BPD for booking. He will be 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 two-year-old son at Sears.
Media release furnished Barnstable Police
Justin M. Peckham via Barnstable Police 6/17/12
