Crime

Roxbury murder suspect charged, victim named, following fatal shooting Saturday

Austin Dillon, a 36-year-old from Dorchester, has been charged with murdering Jose Despeignes.

A Boston Police Department truck in front of buildings on Weaver Way
A man was shot and killed on Weaver Way in Roxbury Saturday afternoon. Nick Stoico/The Boston Globe.

By Eli Curwin

1 minute to read

A Dorchester man has been arraigned and charged in Saturday’s fatal shooting in Roxbury

Austin Dillon, 36, was charged with the murder of Jose Despeignes, 56, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office announced. Dillon was also charged with illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, officials said.

Police arrested Dillon around 8:40 p.m. Monday without incident near 9 Rozella St.

On Saturday afternoon, police responded to a call in the area of 109 Weaver Way in Roxbury, where Despeignes was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to officials, an unidentified witness who was in the residence Saturday afternoon told police that he saw a man he knew as “2G,” who police identified as Dillon, enter the building along with someone else he did not recognize. According to the witness, Dillon asked for some marijuana and a shower and Despeignes came down from an upper floor with a blunt for Dillon before returning upstairs, officials said.

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The witness said he also went upstairs to clean the bathroom, officials said, and Dillon followed. The witness then heard a “pop,” believing it to be a gunshot before turning to see Despeignes lying on the floor in an adjacent room. The witness said he chased after Dillon to ask why he had shot Despeignes, and that Dillon said he’d seen Despeignes “leaving his girlfriend’s house the night before,” officials said.

Dillon was ordered held without bail. He is scheduled for a probable cause hearing on April 14.

The death is the city’s eighth homicide this year, according to The Boston Globe, and city officials including Mayor Michelle Wu released statements describing how Boston plans to better respond and limit street violence NBC10 Boston reported.

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“We will not stop until violence is eradicated in our city,” Wu said. “I personally go through the data weekly, visit BPD during their meetings when they’re discussing Citywide trends, and stay in touch with them regarding when we need to draw on other resources and coordinate other agencies with a particular focus on youth safety.”

Police say that they are continuing to investigate the incident and anyone with information should contact the department at (617) 343-4470.

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