A Roxbury man was held without bail today following his arrest, indictment, and Superior Court arraignment for the first-degree murder of 18-year-old Guiliardo Rodrigues in Dorchester almost four years ago, Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley announced.

In addition to Rodrigues’s murder, MANUEL DASILVA, Jr., a.k.a. “JUNIOR” (D.O.B. 10/28/87), was also charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and carrying a loaded firearm.

Assistant District Attorney Mark Hallal, chief of Conley’s Senior Trial Unit, told the court that Rodrigues was standing with two family members in the area of 122 Draper St. on the morning of April 1, 2006.

Shortly before 6:30 a.m., Dasilva and another man pulled up in a black Nissan Murano and began to engage them in a conversation, Hallal said. At some point during this conversation, Hallal told the court, the two men exited the vehicle, brandished firearms, and began firing shots at the three men.

The three victims fled from the shooters, with Rodrigues running down Draper Street towards Bowdoin Street, Hallal said.

“Rodrigues was struck in the back as he fled towards Bowdoin Street,” Hallal said. The bullet “entered his back, perforated his left kidney, intestines, stomach, liver and heart, where the bullet lodged.”

Before succumbing to his injuries, Rodrigues was able to make a two-way call to friends telling them that he was on Draper Street near Bowdoin Street, Hallal said.

Dasilva and the unidentified suspect fled the scene in the black SUV.

Rodrigues’ friends and family, worried for his safety, attempted to call his cell phone, and made other efforts to locate him. After days passed and they were still unable to find him, the victim’s family feared that he had been kidnapped, Hallal said.

Boston Police officers who responded to the scene shortly after the shooting discovered multiple shell casing in the vicinity of 122 Draper St. and gunshot damage to a vehicle parked in front of that address.

On April 4, 2006, Dasilva was arrested in possession of a firearm. He was later convicted of unlawfully possessing that firearm and served 18 months in a house of correction. The firearm he was carrying when Boston Police arrested him was subsequently matched to some of the shell casings present on Draper Street after the gunfire. Other shell casings and the round that killed Rodrigues were found to have come from a different firearm.

On April 7, 2006, Rodrigues’s body was found in bushes near Mount Ida Road close to where he had last been seen running. He was pronounced dead at the scene and an autopsy concluded that he died of a gunshot wound to his back, Hallal said.

Witnesses were able to provide a partial license plate number to police officers and a description of the vehicle, which led to the identification of the vehicle as being registered to Dasilva’s father, Hallal said. Dasilva allegedly made statements to police admitting that he drove that vehicle on multiple occasions during the timeframe of the shooting.

Boston Police homicide detectives and Suffolk homicide prosecutors continued to gather evidence in Rodrigues’ slaying and were only recently able to obtain additional information that supported the murder charge.

“When it comes to homicide investigations, we don’t cut corners and we don’t give up,” Conley said.

Conley urged anyone with information about Rodrigues’s slaying or the identity of the second suspect to contact the Boston Police CrimeStoppers tip line at 1-800-494-TIPS. Witnesses may also text the word “TIP” to CRIME (27463).

Dasilva is represented by attorney Michael Doolin. He will return to court on Feb. 5.

Jan. 6, 2010: 20 YEARS FOR “ONE-MAN CRIME WAVE”
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A Mattapan man once called a “one-man crime wave” was sentenced to as many as 20 years in prison today after pleading guilty to a string of armed robberies in Boston’s Back Bay and South End between late 2008 and early 2009, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley announced today.

PRESTON JACKSON (D.O.B. 10/31/65) pleaded guilty to nine counts of armed robbery and one count each of armed assault with intent to rob and attempted robbery for the seven successful robberies and one aborted attempt in which a plucky clerk told him that that robbing her establishment would be “a really bad idea.”

Jackson was charged with multiple offenses for some incidents because there was more than one employee at the store. Though none of the victims saw a gun, Preston was charged with armed robbery because he intimated that “no one will get shot” if the victims complied with his demands.

Suffolk Superior Court Judge Peter Lauriat sentenced Jackson to the 13- to 20-year term recommended by Assistant District Attorney Amy Galatis, assigned to Conley’s Senior Trial Unit.

Had the case proceeded to trial, Galatis would have proved that Jackson committed:

1. A Dec. 18, 2008, robbery at the Finagle-A-Bagel on Boylston Street in which he made off with about $600;

2. A Dec. 21, 2008, robbery at Chemistry on Newbury Street in which he made off with about $600;

3. A Dec. 23, 2008, robbery at Footstock on Newbury Street in which he made off with about $285;

4. A Dec. 24, 2008, robbery at CVS on Longwood Avenue in which he made off with about $200;

5. A Dec. 26, 2008, robbery at Dependable Cleaners on Newbury Street in which he made off with about $230;

6. A Dec. 27, 2008, robbery at Darque Tan on Huntington Avenue in which he made off with about $115;

7. A Dec. 29, 2008, robbery at the Starbucks on Brookline Avenue in which he made off with an unknown amount of cash after handing a note stating “Give me the money and no one gets shot,” which the barista assumed was a coffee order and read aloud to her co-worker; and

8. A Jan. 3, 2009, attempted robbery at Bon Bon on Massachusetts Avenue that was defused when a quick-thinking clerk pointed out the multiple security cameras in the establishment and told the assailant that robbing the store would be “a really bad idea.”

Just as previous victims had, the cashier on duty during the final incident called police after the suspect left the store and gave a detailed description of the man who robbed her. Responding Boston Police arrived moments later, searched the area, and soon spotted him near the Hynes Convention Center MBTA station.

As he was being taken into custody, Jackson allegedly dropped a note reading, “Give me the money quietly and no one will be shot.” It was that note that he allegedly passed to the final victim but took back after she convinced him not to rob her store.

The Dec. 23 and Dec. 24 robberies were linked to Jackson after his arrest and arraignment in Boston Municipal Court. Employees of those establishments were among the 18 separate witnesses to testify during the grand jury investigation.

“We couldn’t have achieved this result without the clerks and cashiers at the victimized businesses,” Conley said. “This is the result when police, prosecutors, and the public work as one.”

Jackson was represented by attorney Arnie Stewart.