Former Fugitive Held in Border Street Homicide; Alleged Getaway Driver Indicted

BOSTON, Sept. 19, 2018—The New Hampshire man accused of shooting 29-year-old Taquise Johnson to death in East Boston this spring was arraigned today on a murder charge, and his alleged getaway driver has been indicted as an accessory after the fact, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

JEREMY MENENDEZ, 29, of Nashua was extradited from New Hampshire yesterday following his arrest last week by Boston Police. At a hearing in East Boston Municipal Court today, Judge John McDonald, Jr., ordered him held without bail.

Assistant District Attorney David Bradley of the DA’s Homicide Unit told the court that the victim, defendant, and others were hanging out in the area of 800 Border St. in East Boston on the night of June 1. The evidence suggests that Johnson and Menendez walked to a darkened area shortly before midnight and that Menendez shot Johnson multiple times during that encounter. Bradley said a second firearm, which had not been fired, was found near Johnson on the ground.

Menendez fled the scene and entered a car, Bradley said. Prosecutors say that car was driven by KAVARA RIVERA, 23, of Chelsea, who allegedly lied to the Boston Police homicide detectives investigating Johnson’s slaying. The Suffolk County Grand Jury returned indictments on July 12 charging her with being an accessory after the fact to murder and lying to investigators under the state’s witness intimidation statute. Her bail was set at $5,000.

As the investigation unfolded, members of the Boston Police Fugitive Unit tracked Menendez to Nashua, where they placed him under arrest on Sept. 13 with the assistance of local law enforcement and US Marshals. He was returned to Boston yesterday.

Menendez is the second fugitive murder defendant in as many weeks to be returned to Boston to face charges, Conley said. On Sept. 13, 30-year-old FREIDY BAEZ was ordered held without bail on indictments charging him with the 2014 stabbing death of George Sanchez, 42, in Dorchester after Baez’ extradition from the Dominican Republic.

Menendez was represented today by attorney Henry Fasoldt. He will return to court on Oct. 24.

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