The 1991 murder of 14-year-old Amy Carnevale by her teenage boyfriend Jamie Fuller is a chilling example of how teenage infatuation can turn deadly. Fuller, who was 16, was convicted of her death and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
In prison, Fuller embarked on a profound odyssey of personal growth and self-discovery. His story inspires us to believe that change is possible, even in the darkest of corners.
The Story of Jamie Fuller
The tragic story of Jamie Fuller began with a teenage relationship that ended in murder. Jamie was 16 years old when he lured 14 year old Amy Carnevale to his Beverly, Massachusetts home in August of 1991. He then fatally stabbed her, weighted her body with cinder blocks, and tossed it into a nearby pond. Fuller claimed that he had become jealous and angry when he learned that she was spending time with her friends. Fuller was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Fuller was a popular, well-liked teen with a reputation for being hotheaded and ill-tempered. His domineering and possessive behavior negatively affected his relationships with others. In the summer of 1991, he met Amy, a cheerful cheerleader at Beverly High School who was a good friend of one of his best friends. Despite their different personalities, they began dating. Their relationship was dysfunctional from the start, as Fuller would not allow Amy to do anything on her own and was jealous of her being close with her friends.
Jamie’s callous actions and insensitivity towards Amy led to their tragic end on August 23, 1991. Her concerned parents reported her disappearance, and suspicion eventually fell on Fuller due to his past threats and lack of concern. He later admitted to the killing, claiming that heavy drinking and use of steroids fueled his anger and jealousy.
After the murder, Fuller’s friends did not prevent his escape or report him to authorities. They even helped him dispose of Amy’s body and told him as much while laughing. The callousness of his actions is why Fuller was convicted as an adult and given a lifetime sentence.
After 26 years behind bars, Jamie became eligible for parole in 2019. Eligibility for parole was not merely a legal milestone, but a symbolic crossroads where Fuller’s journey of redemption and personal transformation gained tangible momentum. Throughout his incarceration, Fuller has inspired countless individuals both inside and outside the walls of prison, advocating for criminal justice reform and athlete welfare. He is now using his second chance to make an impact on the world around him, while focusing on building a better future for himself and those around him.
Jamie’s Journey of Redemption
Jamie Fuller’s life is a remarkable tale of resilience and transformation. He was born into challenging circumstances, but he would go on to rise above his obstacles and emerge as a beacon of hope. His story is a powerful reminder that a single individual can make a difference in the lives of others, and that redemption is possible.
In 2019, after spending 26 years in prison, Jamie became eligible for a parole hearing. This was not just a milestone in his legal journey, but a crucial juncture in his personal story. It was at this pivotal point that Jamie would take a significant step on his path of redemption, showcasing his steadfast dedication to self-improvement and reintegration into society.
On Oct. 1, 1990, Jamie Fuller stood alone in the rain outside the Ninth Street alley that backed up to his family’s apartment complex. He was walking home from the Atari store on H Street, battling his friend Kelvin Smith for the highest score in Donkey Kong. Then came the knock at his door from his parents.
They told him that his sister had been brutally beaten and killed, and that they needed to take her car. He reluctantly agreed. But he soon regretted it. After the attack, he drove off to one of his friend’s houses where he washed away the blood and joked about her death with his friends before tying cinder blocks to her body and throwing it in Shoe Pond.
But the truth was, it could have been avoided if his friends had done their jobs and intervened. A number of them claim they were wrongly convicted. They all claim prosecutors withheld evidence that would have proved their innocence, including the fact that witnesses saw another man in the alley at the time of the murder.
Today, Jamie is working three jobs. He starts his day at 5 a.m. at his first job, which is as a sales associate and security guard in a downtown retailer. He also parks cars at Nationals Park and at a lot near Eastern Market. His dream is to own his own house.
Jamie’s Life in Prison
Fuller’s murder of Amy Carnevale, a cheerleader at Beverly High School, made headlines around the community. People who knew him described him as a moody teenager who always wanted things his way. They did not take his rages and jealousy lightly, but they thought he would never do anything as serious as kill his girlfriend.
Fuller acted in a jealous rage after learning that Amy was going to a beach with friends. He threatened to kill her and then stabbed her repeatedly as she tried to escape. When he returned to the home, he told two of his friends what he had done. They were shocked and reported the incident to police.
After the murder, Fuller washed the blood from his hands at a friend’s house. He then drank red Kool-aid, saying it was “right for the occasion.” He then warned his friends that they would be “next” if they said anything about what he had done. The next day, Fuller and the other boys helped him dispose of the body by throwing it into Shoe Pond in Beverly.
Michael Maillet, one of Fuller’s friends, pleaded guilty to helping him cover up the crime. He led police to where he and Fuller had dumped Amy’s body and pointed the finger at Jamie. This effectively turned a missing persons case into a murder investigation.
The jury deliberated for less than three hours before deciding to convict Jamie of capital murder and second-degree home invasion. He will spend at least 40 years in prison before being eligible for parole.
During his trial, prosecutors called several witnesses to testify against Fuller. Shantalle Shabrea Vallier, 24, a former lover of Fuller’s, claimed she had previously implicated him in the killings. However, she changed her story and said her previous statements were lies that were based on anger and fear. She also claimed she was unaware of the specifics of the crimes.
The Legacy of Jamie
The case of Jamie Fuller is a chilling reminder of how young infatuation can quickly turn lethal aggression. At 16, Fuller fatally stabbed and stomped on his 14-year-old girlfriend Amy Carnevale in a jealous rage. The crime caused a shockwave in the Beverly, Massachusetts community and set off a chain of events that would culminate in Fuller’s arrest for murder. His conviction at trial was based on the testimony of two psychiatrists and a clinical psychologist who said that Fuller suffered from anger management issues, dysthymia (a condition that affects one’s mood), and alcohol and steroid abuse.
Amy was a bright and cheerful young girl who was popular among her peers. She was a talented artist with an innate gift for capturing the beauty of nature and human figures in her drawings. She had a genuine interest in connecting with people, and she always made them feel seen and heard. Her kindness and warmth were truly contagious, and she will be forever missed.
In her short life, she touched many lives and inspired others to live more fully. She grew up in a family with limited resources and faced many challenges, but she persevered to make the best of her circumstances. She had a strong passion for food and loved to cook, especially inventing her own recipes. She also enjoyed drawing and drew landscapes, portraits, and even animals.
On August 23, 1991, she visited her boyfriend Jamie at his home in Beverly, Massachusetts. He then took her and several other teens to a wooded area where they stabbed Amy repeatedly in the stomach, back, and throat before stomping her. She was then tied to cinder blocks and dumped into Shoe Pond off McKay Street. Her body was discovered five days later by one of Jamie’s friends, leading to his arrest for murder.
After serving his life sentence, Fuller was granted parole eligibility following the Supreme Judicial Court’s ruling in 2013 that life without parole for teenagers is unconstitutional. He now serves at a maximum-security prison in Walpole, Massachusetts. His remarkable journey exemplifies the power of the human spirit and the capacity for transformation, regardless of your past.
