BOSTON— A man serving a life sentence for killing a teenager on a Massachusetts basketball court less than 20 years ago has been granted parole — a decision that is now setting up his release, even after a previous parole attempt was denied.

State records show the Parole Board voted 5–1 to grant parole to Alberto Cardoza, now 38, who was 19 at the time of the 2007 shooting. The ruling says Cardoza must first complete nine months in a lower-security facility, where officials want to see him remain disciplinary report–free before he can move forward.

Cardoza was convicted in March 2010 of second-degree murder in the Aug. 15, 2007 killing of Jose Ramos, 18. Under Massachusetts law, a second-degree murder conviction carries a life sentence, with parole eligibility after at least 15 years. Cardoza previously sought parole in 2022 and was denied.

The parole decision describes a day that started like any other summer pickup scene — and ended with a teenager dead.

Ramos and a friend went to a local park to play basketball and sat down on a bench to wait their turn while a game was already underway. At some point, an argument broke out with a group that included Cardoza. When the confrontation ended, someone in the group said they’d “be back,” and they left the area, according to the ruling.

Ramos and his friend then went to their vehicle and retrieved a miniature baseball bat to protect themselves. Ramos sat on the bench with the bat in his hands.

Minutes later, the ruling says, the group returned, halted the game, and challenged Ramos and his friend to fight. They demanded that Ramos drop the bat. He refused.

The decision says one member of the group pulled out a .22-caliber revolver and waved it in a threatening way while others urged him to shoot. Cardoza — who had been telling Ramos to drop the bat and fight one-on-one — then grabbed the gun and fired multiple shots, the ruling states. One bullet struck Ramos above the eye, killing him.

The Parole Board’s decision notes changes Cardoza has made since his last denial, including completing barber training and a correctional recovery program, and attending Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings while incarcerated.

If released, Cardoza will face a long list of conditions, including six months of electronic monitoring, a nightly curfew, mandatory counseling, continued AA/NA participation, abstaining from drugs and alcohol, and a strict no-contact order with Ramos’s family. He remained incarcerated at MCI-Norfolk at the time of the ruling.