Published in the October 19, 2016 edition
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Almost six months after a father of two was shot and killed at a house party at 8 Needham Rd., the search for a suspect continues.
Lynnfield police and fire responded to the shooting at the gated mansion that is set back from the road at 3:06 a.m. on Sunday, May 29. Police found 33-year-old Keivan Heath of Randolph suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Heath was transported to Union Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
In a phone interview with the Villager last week, Essex District Attorney spokeswoman Carrie Kimball Monahan said Heath’s murder is “still under investigation.”
“Detectives are still actively investigating the case,” said Kimball Monahan.
Police Chief David Breen recently informed the Villager the police department has been working with the Essex County DA’s office to find the suspect in Heath’s murder. He called the investigation “very frustrating.”
Before Heath was killed at the 8 Needham Rd. house party, the last murder to occur in town took place on Nov. 22, 2010 at a residence on Ledge Road. It was a double murder/suicide in which the gunman murdered both his former girlfriend and sister before turning the gun on himself.
Alexander Styller, the owner of the 8 Needham Rd., told reporters this spring he rented out the home via Airbnb to a group of people for what he thought would be a small college reunion.
In the wake of Heath’s murder, Building Inspector Jack Roberto issued a cease and desist letter to Styller in order to prevent the homeowner from renting out his property “for lodging purposes on a short-term rental basis” because doing so violates the town’s zoning bylaws that prohibit short-term rentals in the single-family zoning district. These types of rentals are classified as a hotel, lodging or rooming house use.
Prior to the May murder, the town was unaware Styller was renting out his house.
Styller filed an appeal of the cease and desist order over the summer. The Zoning Board of Appeals continued the matter at the board’s meetings in August and September and is scheduled to re-visit the issue at its Nov. 1 meeting.
Styller’s attorney, Lester Riordan, informed the ZBA last month his client will be applying for a special permit in order to continue renting out the property.
The ZBA’s decision to continue the discussion of the cease and desist order appeal has upset residents in the neighborhood. During last month’s ZBA meeting, residents complained about noise violations and nude sunbathing that has allegedly taken place at the property.
