BOSTON, Oct. 14, 2014—Six-year-old Destin Marcelin died after he was forcibly asphyxiated and the evidence points to his father, who committed suicide two days later, as the sole perpetrator, Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans and Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said today.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has declared the child’s Sept. 4 death to be the result of “homicidal asphyxia” by smothering, pressure on his neck or chest, or some combination of the two. After a thorough review of the evidence gathered since that time, police and prosecutors believe his father, Patrick Marcelin, 49, of Mattapan was responsible. Patrick Marcelin committed suicide on Sept. 6.

Because the sole suspect is deceased, and because no evidence suggests wrongdoing by any other person in connection with Destin Marcelin’s death, Conley and Evans stated that criminal charges would not be sought in the case.

“The facts and evidence tell us what happened, but we may never know why,” Conley said. “The tragedy here is only compounded by the fact that it offers no motive and no explanation. Our hearts and prayers are with Destin’s loved ones as they mourn his loss at such a young and innocent age.”

“The death of a child is always troubling,” Evans said “We express our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of young Destin.”

Destin was found unresponsive in bed on the morning of what would have been his first day of school. He had spent the night with his father at the Devon Street home of relatives. Patrick Marcelin left the home at about 7:20 a.m., telling others in the household that Destin was sleeping. Another adult later found Destin in bed, felt him to be cold to the touch, and called 911. Boston EMS responded just after 9:30 a.m. with Boston Police and declared him dead at the scene.

Based on interviews with household and family members in the hours that followed, investigators began searching for Patrick Marcelin in order to interview him. For two days, he avoided them and his family, making statements in phone conversations that he intended to harm himself.

At about 4:15 p.m. on Sept. 6, Boston Police detectives pinpointed Patrick Marcelin’s location at the apartment of a friend on Morton Street in Mattapan. He opened the door for the detectives, but slashed at his wrists with a kitchen knife and stabbed himself in the chest despite their efforts to stop and disarm him. Detectives performed first aid and emergency medical technicians rushed him to Boston Medical Center, but he died of his injuries.

The medical evidence according to pathologists, other forensic evidence including video footage obtained during the investigation, credible accounts of other family members gathered through multiple interviews, and Patrick Marcelin’s own statements and behavior all implicate him as his son’s killer.

In addition to meeting with Destin’s mother to discuss their findings, police and prosecutors also notified the Department of Children and Families as a matter of course, though there was no evidence of abusive or criminal conduct by any other person.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.