Two men identified as suspects in unrelated murder cases were arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court today, highlighting the importance of Suffolk County grand juries as investigative tools in complex cases, District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said today.

DANIEL EK (D.O.B. 7/13/86) of Lynn today became the eighth defendant to be charged with second-degree murder for the fatal beating of 22-year-old Jose Alicea. Ek was allegedly part of a mob that set upon the victim on Stanhope Street in the early morning hours of Aug. 21. Acting on a request by Assistant District Attorney Cory Flashner, Clerk Magistrate Gary D. Wilson set his bail at $500,000 cash.

Minutes later, Wilson accommodated Assistant District Attorney John Pappas’s request and ordered SANDRO TAVARES (D.O.B. 12/25/83) held without bail following his indictments on two counts of first-degree murder. With EMMANUEL PINA (D.O.B. 4/25/83), Tavares is charged with the Aug. 2 shooting deaths of 20-year-old Jovany Eason and 47-year-old Manuel Monteiro near the Ka’-Carlos restaurant on Hancock Street in Dorchester.

“Weeks, months, and even years after the fact, police and prosecutors continue to work hand in hand on cases like these,” Conley said. “One of the most powerful tools we have is the grand jury, which has the power to obtain sworn testimony and records of almost every kind by subpoena.”

Under Conley’s leadership, Suffolk County became the first district in Massachusetts to obtain a second grand jury. That body is used exclusively in homicide investigations and complex gun- and gang-related cases.

In the Alicea homicide case, Ek allegedly joined a group of about two dozen friends and associates at a downtown bar on the night of Aug. 20 and into the morning of Aug. 21. As the bar let out for the night, many of those individuals were gathered in front of 33 Stanhope St. Alicea and a smaller group of his friends left and had brief words with members of the larger group. In response, they allegedly kicked and beat him so badly that he died on Aug. 24.

Flashner, the prosecutor, said that witnesses to the beating specifically described one of Alicea’s assailants as “an Asian male with long hair and a teardrop tattoo.” That description fits Ek, who is a known associate of the other Lynn men charged with Alicea’s homicide.

Ek is represented by attorney Peter Marano. The victim-witness advocate assigned to the Alicea family is Paula Eckberg. The case will return to court on Dec. 17.

In the homicides of Eason and Monteiro, Pappas recounted a series of altercations in and around the Ka’-Carlos Bar & Grill in Dorchester on the night of Aug.1 and early morning of Aug. 2. Eason is said to have argued with others near the door and in the men’s room of the restaurant, while Monteiro – a chef at the establishment – consistently sought to defuse the situation.

Tavares and his associate, Pina, allegedly confronted Eason as Eason left the restaurant and approached his car. Pappas said Tavares produced a semiautomatic handgun but could not rack the slide; Pina allegedly took the weapon and began firing at Eason. One of those shots struck Monteiro, who was merely standing near the restaurant’s front door, and killed him. Eason was struck by multiple subsequent rounds and died of his injuries as well.

Pina and a third man, TIMOTHY SANTOS (D.O.B. 6/26/85), are additionally charged with armed assault with intent to murder for allegedly trading shots with one another a short distance from Ka’-Carlos. Pina allegedly wounded Santos in that exchange, while Santos’ shots went wide.

Tavares is represented by attorney John Moss. The victim-witness advocate assigned to the Eason and Monteiro families is Cat Yuan. The case will return to court on Dec. 8.