Homicide Watch Boston

By Janine Eduljee, Ben Thompson, and Gail Waterhouse

One of the men accused of robbing and killing a Hyde Park man in 2012 has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in the crime.

On Dec. 15, 2012, Luis Diaz, 31, robbed and then shot 42-year-old Orlando Guerrero, a Hyde Park man who was originally from the Dominican Republic.

Orlando Guerrero

Based on information from a tip, police arrested Diaz and Jose Carrasqiullo. Carrasquillo reportedly told police about their plan to rob Guerrero.

Diaz, who was charged with first-degree murder in Guerrero’s death, had his charge lowered to manslaughter after an agreement between his legal team and the prosecution.

Diaz also pleaded guilty to concurrent counts of armed robbery, possession of a firearm without a license, and possession of ammunition without a license.

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By Janine Eduljee

Wednesday marked the final pre-trial hearing for the youngest of three members of a family accused of murdering a man two years ago.

Angel R. Sanchez, 18, was indicted in 2014 the November 2013 murder of 29-year-old Edwin Santos, along with his father Elias Sanchez, 44, and uncle Gabriel Sanchez, 33.

Prosecutors say Elias Sanchez reportedly approached Santos and began beating him with a club outside a Dorchester Street market. Elias’ son Angel, who was 16 years old at the time of the crime, and Elias’ brother Gabriel Sanchez joined in and both allegedly stabbed the victim.

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By Aneri Pattani

A Dorchester man was arraigned Friday, Oct. 9 in Suffolk Superior Court for manslaughter and other charges in a crash that killed an 18-year-old cyclist, officials said.

A Suffolk County Grand Jury returned indictments charging Gregory McCoy, 27, with the manslaughter of Fritz Philogene.

McCoy was allegedly driving a friend’s car and speeding in a residential neighborhood when he approached the intersection of Norwell Street and Talbot Avenue on the night of May 19. Prosecutors claim he slammed into the rear of another car that was stopped at a red light. Both cars went careening through the intersection around 10:10 p.m.

Philogene, who was waiting to cross the street at the intersection with his bicycle, was struck. He died at the scene.

The crash also injured McCoy’s passenger: a 26-year-old Quincy man who owned the car. The driver of the other car was also injured.

McCoy extricated himself from the badly damaged car, and fled the scene on foot, prosecutors said. He left a blood trail from the vehicle to his neighborhood.

Several witnesses came forward to Boston police, eventually leading officers to find McCoy at his Wentworth Street home. He was taken to Carney Hospital, where a blood sample was taken.

Based on that sample, officials believe McCoy’s blood-alcohol content at the time of the collision was above .08, the legal limit for driving, prosecutors said.

McCoy faces charges of manslaughter while operating under the influence, leaving the scene of a collision causing death, leaving the scene of a collision causing injury and reckless operation of a motor vehicle.

A judge ordered McCoy be held on $250,000 bail. His next court appearance is Nov. 19.

By Alec Cheung

Three men have been arraigned on murder charges for the death of Luis Bodden-Maximo, the 23-year-old man who died after being shot six times in the parking lot the Mission Hill Stop and Shop in late September.

Luis Bodden-Maximo (Facebook photo)

Lee Gill, 24, of Natick, Jerome Meade, 21, of Lynn, and Javier Smith, 19, of Roxbury, are charged in connection with Bodden-Maximo’s death and are currently being held without bail. Meade has been in custody since September 25 on gun charges. His bail had been set at $25,000 for those charges, and has since been revoked.

Bodden-Maximo was eating at a restaurant on Sept. 16 with his girlfriend when a man, later identified as Smith, entered the restaurant, according to Suffolk Assistant District Attorney Craig Iannini. Borden-Maximo reportedly recognized Smith as a member of the H-Block gang and promptly told his friend they needed to leave.

Shortly afterwards, another man wearing a black and gray hooded sweatshirt with a bright yellow shirt underneath fired at Bodden-Maximo several times before fleeing the scene.

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By Mackenzie Nichols

A suspect appeared in court on Wednesday to face arraignment on charges related to the 2011 murder of Dorchester resident Terrance Johnson in Upham’s Corner.

Terrance Johnson (Upham’s Corner News)

Joao “Bird” Vicente, 26, was arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court on Wednesday on charges of murder and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to the Boston Police Department.

Vicente, who has been serving time in Norfolk County House of Corrections for an unrelated assault and battery charge in 2014, was identified as Johnson’s killer after years of investigation by the BPD.

The suspect reportedly shot Johnson on the corner of Humphreys Street and Humphreys Place in Roxbury on Memorial Day in 2011.

“The Boston Police Department is committed to solving every homicide,” police officials said in a press release. “We never give up on a case, we never forget a family and we continue to seek justice for all victims.”

Terrance “T-Bubs” Johnson, 28, was a regular around Upham’s Corner in Roxbury, according to Upham’s Corner News, a community news website.

Johnson was well-known and was typically seen “hanging out” around the area, and though Upham’s Corner News reported some thought he was selling drugs, the tragedy still prompted grief and sorrow in the community. Johnson’s family and friends established a memorial fund and decorated the intersection where he was killed in honor of his life.

By Ben Thompson

Barbara Coyne’s family spoke at her killer’s sentencing on Wednesday, remembering how loving the 67-year-old South Boston grandmother was, and how she fought for her family, even in her last moments alive.

Last Friday, a jury convicted Timothy Kostka, 30, of Coyne’s murder. On Wednesday a judge sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole, and a 20 to 25 year prison sentence for home invasion.

Barbara Coyne (handout photo)

Coyne’s relatives took to the stand in the crowded courtroom to address the event that has profoundly impacted their family over the past three years.

Richard Coyne, Barbara’s son and the first person to find her after Kostka’s brutal attack, told the court amidst tears how he missed his mother and her daily coffee, as well as how proud he was of her. Coyne finished his victim impact statement by commenting that life in prison was too good for Kostka.

Barbara Coyne’s sister, Pat, was the next to speak. She went on to thank the law enforcement and legal teams that participated in the case, and concluded by saying that Kostka was too dangerous to ever be let out of prison.

“She brought us through far too many family tragedies with nurturing and love.  I know if you had just asked her for help, she would have done it,” Pat Coyne addressed Kosta. 

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By Meredith Gorman

A judge decided on Tuesday to delay the double murder trial of former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez from December 1 to January 19, 2016.

Judge Jeffrey Locke pushed the trial date back while prosecutors continue to seek evidence held by a third party law firm that once represented Hernandez. Neither party would disclose what the evidence is.

The judge closed Tuesday’s hearing to the public, declaring that information discussed could compromise Hernandez’s Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and Sixth Amendment right to a fair trial.

Hernandez has pleaded not guilty
to killing Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado in July 2012 after a chance encounter at a Boston nightclub.

By Mackenzie Nichols

Louis Costa, a convicted murderer currently serving two consecutive life sentences for a 1986 North End double homicide, was re-sentenced Friday to two concurrent sentences which means he is now eligible for parole. Costa, now 45, was 16-years-old when he and Frank DiBenedetto conspired in the killings of Frank Chiuchiolo and Joseph Bottari in Slye Park, and at 16 was sentenced to two consecutive sentences without parole.

Costa’s hearing Friday began with a statement written by Nancy Bottari, Joseph Bottari’s mother.

Costa gunned down her son and shot him 16 times, Nancy Bottari stated, and thus Joseph was never allowed to live the life that he deserved. Frank DiBenedetto, the other murderer, reportedly shot Chiucholo four more times in the head at close range. Nancy asked the judge to consider her statement while deliberating Costa’s possible parole eligibility in 21 months.

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By Mackenzie Nichols

A jury declared Timothy Kostka guilty of first-degree murder and home invasion Friday in the death of 67-year-old a South Boston woman. Kotska, 30, faces a life sentence for the murder of Barbara Coyne, whom he beat, stabbed, and robbed for heroin money in April 2012.

After three days of deliberations, the jury revealed their verdict to a packed courtroom, and both the Kostka and Coyne families left in tears. Coyne’s relatives embraced one another and shared congratulations while the Kotska family quickly vacated the courtroom, according to reports from inside the courtroom.

As Barbara Coyne’s son, Richard Coyne, left Suffolk Superior Court, he smiled and was thankful for the hard work of both the police and District Attorney, the Boston Herald reports.

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By Janine Eduljee, Aren Lebrun and Ben Thompson

Testimony wrapped up Wednesday in the murder trial of Timothy Kostka, who is accused of murdering Barbara Coyne in her apartment in April 2012.

On Tuesday, two witnesses were brought in to give testimonies: Timothy Kostka’s cousin Melinda Kostka, and his mother Nancy Kostka.

According to Melinda Kostka’s testimony, the Coynes and Kostkas were old family friends who both frequented the Columbia Yacht Club for birthdays. The defendant had apparently bought a boat from the victim’s son, Richard Coyne.

Nancy Kostka’s testimony focused more on her son, who she claimed she knew was a heroin addict, and knew in April 2012 that he had relapsed.

“He is my son. I could tell by looking at him when he was using, and he was.” said Nancy Kostka.

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