BOSTON — The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has overturned the murder conviction of Dewane Tse, a resident of Rhode Island, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. Tse was found guilty in 2021 for his alleged role in a fatal shooting that took place in August 2018 in Boston, where it was claimed he rented the SUV used in the crime.

On Wednesday, the court ruled that Tse should not have been convicted of first-degree murder or armed assault with intent to murder in the case involving the death of Yashua Amado. In a significant legal decision, the court not only overturned Tse’s conviction but also declared him not guilty, rather than ordering a new trial.

The justices emphasized that the evidence presented during the trial did not substantiate a reasonable conclusion, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Tse possessed the necessary knowledge and intent required for a first-degree murder conviction under the theory of deliberate premeditation as a participant in the crime. The court’s opinion confirmed the need to reverse the prior conviction.

According to the findings from the investigation, Tse had rented a red GMC Acadia just two days prior to the shooting incident. Prosecutors noted that surveillance footage revealed the same SUV near the crime scene, depicting a gunman exiting the vehicle to approach Amado’s car and discharge multiple rounds. Subsequently, the gunman returned to the SUV, which then drove away from the area.

Further surveillance footage showed Tse returning the rented vehicle roughly one hour after the shooting occurred. This sequence of events contributed to the court’s decision to overturn the charges against him, shedding light on the insufficiency of evidence linking Tse to the crime directly.