Murder

Boston Teenager Charged with 2010 Murder on MBTA Bus

Published on: February 11, 2011 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Kim Gross, Jr., 18, of the Roslindale section of Boston, was arrested and is facing Massachusetts Murder Charges in connection with the death of two men that occurred last November on an MBTA bus.

Gross is expected to be arraigned Monday in the West Roxbury Division of the Boston Municipal Court on First Degree Murder Charges, and possibly Aggravated Assault & Battery. He is also facing additional Massachusetts Gun Charges, including Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Unlawful Possession of Ammunition, and Possession of a Loaded Firearm, for a gun that was allegedly found at the time of his arrest.

The Boston Police Department alleges that Gross was riding the MBTA’s Route 44 bus in Dorchester on November 2, 2010, along with the two victims. While on the bus, Gross allegedly got into an argument with the two men, and a knife fight ensued. One of the men, Richard Allen, 21, was taken to Boston Medical Center where he was pronounced dead; while the other man survived the alleged attack.

Revere Mental Health Patient Arrest for Murder of Peabody Woman

Published on: January 21, 2011 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Deshawn James Chappell, 27, was arrested last night by Boston Police Officers at his grandmother’s apartment in Roxbury for the Revere Murder of Stephanie Moulton, 25, of Peabody, Massachusetts.

Moulton was a counselor at a Revere group home that was operated under the Suffolk Mental Health Association (which is contracted by the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health) where Chappel was a resident. According to Revere Police, Boston Police and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Moulton was allegedly attacked by Chappell and taken from the group home sometime yesterday. Later on in the evening, her body was found behind the St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Lynn.

At this time, no information has been released as to specific details regarding the murder, but authorities believe that, at the time of the incident, Moulton was likely the only employee at the group home at the time. Police have indicated, however, that the murder most likely occurred inside the Revere group home, as blood and other forensic evidence was located.

Boston Man Wanted for Dorchester Murder Captured in RI

Published on: January 19, 2011 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Levonrence Perkins, 20, of Boston, wanted in connection with the Dorchester Murder of Cordell McAfee, was arrested by federal law enforcement yesterday in Providence.

Cordell McAfee was murdered in the Dorchester section of Boston last May 7 as he was standing near the intersection of Roseland Street and Dorchester Avenue.

Although Boston Police and the Suffolk County D.A.’s Office believe that McAfee’s murder was not a result of his testifying as a key witness in the murder trial of Trina Persad, all reasonable indications suggest that was the motive. Trina Persad was killed in 2002 by a shotgun blast as she played in a Roxbury park.

Worcester Woman Charged with Murder in Stabbing Death of Boyfriend

Published on: January 18, 2011 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Shirley Sanabria, 44, of Worcester, is now facing Massachusetts Murder Charges in connection with the stabbing death of her boyfriend, Joseph Scott, 45, resulting from an altercation that took place this past weekend.

Sanabria has been charged with First Degree Murder and Aggravated Assault & Battery with a Dangerous Weapon.

According to the Worcester Police Department and Worcester County District Attorney’s Office, police responded to Sanabria’s apartment on Sunday for a report for a person who appeared to be dead. On arrival, Worcester Police officers found Joseph Scott lying on the floor, suffering from a puncture wound to his chest.

Quincy Mother Charged With Murder in Child’s Poisoning

Published on: January 15, 2011 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

A Quincy mother, Li Rong Zhang, was arrested on Massachusetts Murder Charges of her 8 year old son’s death after the two were found unconscious in their Quincy apartment.

According to the Quincy Police Department and Norfolk County prosecutors, Zhang allegedly tried to kill the two of them by barricading herself and the young child in a room and then lighting a coal-fired hibachi grill. When the police responded to the home after the fire alarm went off, the door to the room was found to have been blocked by a large piece of furniture.

The pair was found by Zhang’s other child, a 16 year old boy, when he came back from school.

Waltham Man Attacks Dad with Ax – Charged with Attempted Murder

Published on: January 13, 2011 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Tracy Hough, 42, of Waltham, was arraigned in Waltham District Court on Massachusetts Crimes of Violence Charges including Attempted Murder, Assault & Battery with a Dangerous Weapon, and Mayhem.

This past Wednesday, Hough allegedly attacked his father with an ax, almost severing his hand, in what prosecutors described as an argument over a snow-blower. Hough, who lives in the basement of his parents’ home, left the scene after his mother went downstairs to discovery Ralph Hough, the father, bleeding from two apparent ax wounds to his back and one to his hand.

Notably, when the Waltham Police were dispatched regarding the crime, Hough was described as “possibly bipolar”. It’s unclear at this time what Hough’s mental health history is at this time, and whether a Defense of Criminal Responsibility might be viable in this case.

Chelsea Woman Charged with Arson and Murder for Christmas Eve Fire

Published on: January 7, 2011 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Melissa Pfeiffer, 26, of Chelsea, Massachusetts, was arraigned and held without bail on charges of Murder and Arson for the Christmas Eve blaze at 295 Spruce Street in Chelsea that killed 20 year old Crystal Lynn Blanchard.

According to the Chelsea Police Department and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Pfeiffer, after an argument with her boyfriend, allegedly set his clothes on fire. The boyfriend had left the apartment to cool off, but when he returned, he found that his clothes had been set on fire. The fire, however, spread through their apartment building and grew to a three alarm fire that caused severe damage to the apartment building.

In a neighboring apartment, Crystal Lynn Blanchard was trapped inside; unable to escape, she eventually died within the apartment of smoke inhalation and thermal injuries. Her boyfriend, however, managed to jump from a second story window but did suffer from severe burns.

Lawrence Man Charged with Murder of 4-Month Old Son

Published on: January 6, 2011 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

The death of Alexis Medina Jr., 4 months, was initially believed to have been caused by Shaken Baby Syndrome by his father. Now, Essex County Prosecutors have charged the father, Alexis Medina, with Murder, alleging that he suffocating his son to death.

According to prosecutors and the Massachusetts State Police, Medina allegedly “intentionally” shoved the baby’s face into a pillow last Tuesday morning. He died the following day at Tufts Medical Center in Boston after doctors found him “brain dead”. An autopsy by the Medical Examiner’s Office also showed that the child had 11 ‘healing’ rib fractures.

Following his arrest, Medina spoke with Massachusetts State Police and stated that while the infant was facedown in his crib, he pushed down on his back in an effort to quiet him and get him to sleep. A few hours later, the Medina’s mother returned from work and found the infant not breathing, at which time 911 was called.

Two Men Arraigned in Lowell for New Year’s Even Murder

Published on: January 4, 2011 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Jameson Phoun, 20, and Sothy Voeun, 19, both of Lowell, Massachusetts, were arraigned yesterday morning in Lowell District Court on charges of Murder for allegedly shooting spraying a New Year’s Eve Party with gunfire that ended up with a young female dead.

According to the Lowell Police Department and the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office, Phoun and Voeun, allegedly kicked down the door at a Lowell apartment and began shooting into a crowd of approximately 25 partygoers.

The victim, Corinna Ouer, 20, was shot in the stomach and later succumbed to her wounds. Seven other people were also shot but have survived the attack.

Massachusetts Parole Board to Face Investigation After Woburn Officer Killed in Shootout Following Kohls Armed Robbery

Published on: December 30, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

he call for the investigation into the Massachusetts Parole Board was triggered after Cinielli, along with two other men robbed the Kohl’s in Woburn this past Sunday and allegedly Murdered Woburn Police Officer John “Jack” Maguire, 60, who responded to the robbery call and began chasing two of the alleged robbers on foot. One of the men, who Woburn Police allege was Cinelli, began shooting at the officer and ultimately struck and killed him.

Dominic Cinelli was released by the Massachusetts Parole Board after a hearing in 2008 and now Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick is asking for an investigation of the Parole Board for having released Cinelli, a man who at one point been sentenced to three concurrent life sentences for Armed Robbery, Armed Assault with Intent to Murder, Assault & Battery with a Dangerous Weapon, and Gun Crimes.

As a result, the Governor, along with Police Chief across the state and nationwide, are seeking a review of the Massachusetts Parole Board’s decision-making criteria in order to determine how someone, such as Cinelli with such a violent history and had been previously convicted as an Armed Career Criminal, could have been given leniency and released.