Murder Warrant Lodged at Suffolk County Jail

BOSTON, April 20, 2017—Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans and Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley today announced murder charges against the Dorchester man accused of shooting Joey DeBarros to death last week.

Acting amid a Suffolk County Grand Jury investigation, Boston Police homicide detectives yesterday lodged a murder warrant charging DEONARINE GANGA (D.O.B. 7/12/87) of Dorchester at the Suffolk County Jail, where he is currently held on $50,000 cash bail following his Tuesday arraignment for assault with a dangerous weapon. In addition to the cash bail imposed on that case, in which he allegedly wielded a firearm to threaten another person, he is being held without bail pending a hearing to determine whether he violated the conditions of probation on a 2015 plea to possession of a Class B substance with intent to distribute.

Today’s warrant charges Ganga with the April 13 shooting on Gallivan Boulevard that claimed DeBarros’ life. During that incident, Ganga allegedly became involved in a verbal altercation with DeBarros during a traffic dispute near the corner of Granite Avenue. Ganga allegedly fired a handgun, striking DeBarros, who had exited his own vehicle.

DeBarros was rushed to Boston Medical Center, where he died of his injuries.

The car Ganga allegedly occupied left the area, but witnesses provided responding Boston Police with a description of the car and a partial plate number. That detailed information led investigators to review earlier records, which revealed that the car was registered to a Dorchester woman associated with Ganga and included the record of an April 10 motor vehicle stop in Abington during which Ganga was a passenger.

In the course of their investigation, homicide detectives learned of an ongoing investigation into an April 7 incident at a Dorchester Avenue business. In that case, two customers became involved in an argument and one of them allegedly flashed a handgun and racked the slide in a threatening manner before leaving in a vehicle similar to the one later involved in DeBarros’ homicide. Employees called Boston Police, who reviewed video footage that appeared to depict the confrontation but were unable to speak with the victim, who had also left the scene prior to authorities’ arrival.

As a result of the video footage and additional evidence, Boston Police apprehended Ganga on Monday and charged him with the April 7 incident while continuing to investigate the homicide. He was arraigned Tuesday in Dorchester Municipal Court and will return to court on May 18.

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