KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) A Keene homicide case that began with the fatal shooting of a Massachusetts teenager in June 2025 reached its conclusion Wednesday when Thomas Pickford pleaded guilty and was sentenced to prison.

According to the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, Pickford, 18, pleaded guilty in Cheshire County Superior Court to one count of reckless second-degree murder in connection with the death of Christian G. Walker.

The court sentenced Pickford to 27 years to life in the New Hampshire State Prison. Under the terms of the sentence, he may be eligible to reduce the minimum term by up to four years if he successfully completes educational, behavioral, and rehabilitative programming while incarcerated.

Walker, 17, of Orange, Massachusetts, was shot during the early morning hours of June 25, 2025, in the parking lot of Riverside Plaza on Winchester Street in Keene.

Police and emergency responders were dispatched to the scene following a 911 call and found Walker suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to Cheshire Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

An autopsy later determined that Walker died from a single gunshot wound to the abdomen. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide.

The shooting prompted a large police response and an extensive investigation involving the Keene Police Department, New Hampshire State Police, and the Attorney General’s Office. Investigators previously stated that all individuals involved had been identified and that there was no ongoing threat to the public.

State officials announced earlier Wednesday that a plea and sentencing hearing had been scheduled in the case. Following the hearing, Attorney General John Formella, State Police Colonel Mark Hall, and Keene Police Chief Steven Stewart confirmed that Pickford had entered a guilty plea and received the sentence.

No additional details about the plea agreement were released in Wednesday’s announcement.