BOSTON, Nov. 21, 2017—A Braintree man was charged with murder and other offenses today following his arrest for the homicide of 55-year-old Nelson Torres-Santa inside the victim’s home earlier this month, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

THOMAS ISAAC, Jr., (D.O.B. 1/17/96) was arraigned in Dorchester Municipal Court, where Judge Paul McManus ordered him held without bail at the request of Assistant District Attorney Julie Higgins’ request. He was charged with murder, armed home invasion, and armed robbery.

Higgins told the court that Torres-Santa was found unresponsive inside his Bowdoin Street residence on the afternoon of Nov. 13 and was later pronounced deceased at the scene. His body was in a state of partial decomposition. On Nov. 16, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide caused by blunt force trauma, with lacerations and fractures also present.

Higgins told the court that items including electronic devices had been taken from the scene. She said evidence gathered in the course of the investigation suggests that Thomas forced his way into Torres-Santa’s residence with a knife on Nov. 5 and assaulted the victim, causing stab wounds and fatal blunt trauma injuries, in the course of a robbery.

Thomas was represented today by attorney Kelli Porges. He will return to court on Dec. 21.

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