The Suffolk County Special Grand Jury this week returned indictments charging 12 men with a total of 57 offenses, including seven counts of second-degree murder, for the beatings of four men outside a downtown bar this summer, District Attorney Daniel F. Conley announced today.
The 11-week investigation by the Suffolk DA’s and Boston Police Department’s homicide units identified seven suspects in the fatal beating of 30-year-old Jose Alicea on Stanhope Street in the early morning hours of Aug. 20. Evidence developed in that investigation indicates that those men and five others also beat three surviving victims during the same incident.
The indictments, returned Monday, charge the following defendants with second-degree murder for allegedly taking part in the group beating that claimed the Hyde Park man’s life:
1. JASON BENALFEW (D.O.B. 11/13/82), a.k.a. “JD,” of Lynn;
2. JUSTIN COOKE (D.O.B. 1/17/84), a.k.a. “GD,” of Lynn;
3. JONATHAN FERNANDEZ (D.O.B. 12/24/85) of Lynn;
4. JOHAN GARCIA (D.O.B. 11/24/80) of Lynn,
5. RUSKYN GARCIA (D.O.B. 5/21/84) of Lynn,
6. ANTHONY VILLALOBOS (D.O.B. 12/29/87), a.k.a. “Pretty Ricky,” of Revere; and
7. MICHAEL WELCH (D.O.B. 5/17/82) of Lynn.
Those seven defendants were additionally indicted on three separate counts of assault and battery and two separate counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon – a shod foot – for injuries inflicted upon three surviving victims who were friendly with Alicea.
Also indicted were five defendants who are not charged with Alicea’s homicide but who are charged with kicking and/or beating two of the surviving victims:
8. RAMONA BERROA (D.O.B. 5/3/81), a.k.a. “Munchie,” of Lynn;
9. JOSE CASTRO (D.O.B. 8/19/87), a.k.a. “Bernie,” of Lynn;
10. JORGE ENCARNACION (D.O.B. 8/9/83) of Lynn;
11. MIGUEL FLAQUER (D.O.B. 11/1/83), a.k.a. “Chino,” of Malden; and
12. RAMON GONZALES LLAVONA (D.O.B. 8/6/71), a.k.a. FRANK MARTINEZ, a.k.a. “Mac,” of Lynn.
Prosecutors allege that the defendants were part of a group at the 33 Restaurant and Lounge on Stanhope Street after taking part in a friend’s funeral in Lynn. Many of the defendants were wearing matching black tuxedoes with red vests. Also at the club were Alicea and three of his friends. There had been no trouble inside the establishment.
Shortly after 2:00 a.m., as the club closed and patrons moved out to the street, Alicia spoke with members of the defendants’ group. That conversation became heated, prosecutors say, with members of the two groups swearing at one another.
The defendants’ group then set upon Alicea and his friends, prosecutors say, kicking and beating them before attempting to flee the scene. Alicea was most badly hurt and was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital with severe head trauma. He died of his injuries two days later.
Boston Police officers responded rapidly to the scene and were directed to two white limousines in which the defendants and others were seated. Individuals were brought out one at a time; witnesses identified those they’d seen taking part in the attack.
In addition to those witnesses’ statements, investigators gathered surveillance images and other corroborating evidence as they built the case behind the closed doors of the Special Grand Jury.
All the defendants have been in custody since shortly after the incident. Their arraignments have been scheduled for tomorrow morning in the Magistrate’s Session of Suffolk Superior Court.
