BOSTON, Dec. 16, 2013—Two men, both with prior gun convictions, were held without bail at their arraignment today for the shooting death this weekend of 25-year-old Romeo McCubbin in Mattapan, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

OMAR BONNER (D.O.B. 8/2/87) of Hyde Park and OMAR DENTON (D.O.B. 5/9/84) of Milton was arraigned on charges of murder, unlawful possession of a firearm as a second or subsequent offense, and resisting arrest.

Assistant District Attorney Ian Polumbaum. Told the court that McCubbin was “essentially ambushed” in a vehicle on Havelock Street at about 1:45 Saturday morning and ended up on the sidewalk just outside the car. Both defendants allegedly approached him with firearms. One of them shot him repeatedly at close range and the other kicked him in the head, Polumbaum said.

Both assailants fled the area but were seen driving away at a high rate of speed by a Boston Police detective who heard the gunshots and followed them. When they got to Bonner’s family’s home on Wood Avenue, they allegedly saw the detective and ran. Both men allegedly discarded firearms as they fled.

Bonner fought with police but was taken into custody. The firearm he allegedly tossed was a .380. Denton attempted to hide under a car but was also apprehended. The firearm he allegedly tossed was a .25.

Both men’s clothing was consistent with investigators’ information about the suspects at the scene, Polumbaum said. Bonner’s handgun was test-fired and found to be the source of shell casings found in the immediate area of McCubbin’s body, he added.

Bonner
and Denton both pleaded guilty in 2011 to separate firearms possession charges, with Bonner receiving a two-year sentence and Denton receiving two-and-a-half years. Both men additionally received probationary sentences that began upon their release. Denton was acquitted of first-degree murder after two trials in the 2004 shooting death of 19-year-old Cedric Phillips on West Selden Street. In that case, prosecutors alleged that Denton was beating a woman when Phillips and another man passed by in a car, saw what was happening, and intervened on the woman’s behalf. Phillips was shot in the head during the altercation that followed and died of his injury.

Bonner was represented by attorney John Tardif. Denton was represented by attorney Timothy Bradl. Both will return to court on Jan. 14.

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