Two Everett teens affiliated with the MS-13 gang were arrested and arraigned this week on murder charges for the Jan. 3 murder of Omar Wilfredo Reyes under the Tileston Street Bridge.
Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan announced Monday that Jose Vasquez Ardon, 17, of Everett, and Cristian Nunez-Flores, 17, of Everett, were both arraigned on the charge of murder in Malden District Court in connection with the fatal shooting of Reyes, 19, in Everett.
Judge Lee Johnson ordered the defendants held without bail and ordered them to have no contact with the victim’s family or the Commonwealth’s witnesses in this case. The next scheduled hearing is Tuesday, March 1, 2016.
“Today’s arraignment follows a nearly month long investigation into the murder of Omar Wilfredo Reyes,” said District Attorney Marian Ryan. “This crime was a senseless act of violence where it is alleged that the defendants lured the victim, another teenager, out of his home and allegedly took his life.”
On the evening of January 2, the victim, Reyes, allegedly received several messages from Ardon asking him to meet up. Reyes agreed to meet Ardon but reportedly expressed to a friend that he had reservations about the meeting.
At approximately 12:20 a.m. on January 3, Everett Police responded to a report of an injured man under the Tileston Street Bridge behind Carter Street. Upon arrival police found that the man was suffering from a single gunshot wound to the head. Investigators estimate that Reyes was shot just after 10:30 p.m. on January 2. He was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital where he died from his injuries at 2 p.m. on Monday, January 4.
Following the shooting, investigators obtained several pieces of surveillance video from the area where the victim was supposed to meet the defendants. One video depicts the victim walking towards the bike path with the alleged defendants.
A short time later another camera captures the same individuals, without the victim, walking away from the area where the victim was ultimately located. During the course of the investigation authorities also recovered and performed DNA testing on clothing consistent with the clothing worn by the individuals in the surveillance videos.
Ardon was arrested in Revere and Nunez-Flores was arrested in Malden on Saturday, January 30. Evidence suggests the two defendants may be affiliated with the gang MS-13.
This remains an open investigation.