- Chelsea man indicted in 2014 murder
A Chelsea man was indicted Wednesday, March 18, for the murder 29-year-old Javier Ortiz and the non-fatal shooting of another man last year.
A Suffolk County grand jury returned indictments charging Hector Enamorado, 36, with first-degree murder, armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
He has been held without bail since his arrest days after the Dec. 14 shooting. Wednesday’s indictments move the case from Chelsea District Court to Suffolk Superior Court, where it will be adjudicated.
Chelsea Police responded to a report of a person shot on Chester Avenue address at about 3:05 a.m. on the morning of Dec. 14 and located the 34-year-old surviving victim outside suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. That man directed police to an apartment inside where Ortiz was found suffering from gunshot wounds.
Both men were transported to Massachusetts General Hospital, where Ortiz died.
Chelsea Police detectives and members of the Suffolk County State Police Detective Unit gathered evidence at the scene, witness statements, and additional evidence and sought a warrant for Enamorado’s arrest later that day. He was located on Dec. 16 and placed under arrest.
The grand jury proceedings leading to indictments were led by Assistant District Attorney Amy Galatis of the DA’s Homicide Unit. Enamorado is represented by James Cipoletta. A date has not been set for Enamorado’s arraignment in Superior Court.
- Police investigating Saturday night shooting
On March 14, at approximately 11 p.m., Chelsea officers were dispatched to Cottage Street for reports of shots fired and a victim of a gunshot wound. Upon arrival Officer’s observed a male victim sitting on the porch with a gunshot wound to the right leg, below the knee on the shin. The victim was alert and stated that he had been shot while walking on Cottage Street in front of 58 Cottage St. The victim was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital and was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Chelsea Detectives are actively working the case. If anyone has any information on this incident they are asked to call Chelsea Police at 617-466-4800
- Authorities raid sophisticated retail shoplifting ring: Confiscate $100,000 in merchandise
On Friday March 13, authorities raided an apartment set up to mimic a storefront and confiscated shoplifted merchandise valued at approximately $100,000, according to Peabody Police. Police also confiscated $10,000 in cash. The interior of the residential dwelling at 140 Chestnut St. was set up to mimic a storefront where prospective “shoppers” could view the alleged stolen merchandise, according to Peabody Police.
Organized retail shoplifting rings are supplied by boosters who frequent area retail establishments with the goal of shoplifting specified items requested by the ring leader(s). Shoplifting rings often resell items by different means, including online sales and overseas shipments. The merchandise confiscated was primarily clothing and perfume. In recent reports, retail losses attributed to such organizations are potentially in excess of $30 billion a year, police said. Officers from Peabody, Chelsea and Revere Police Departments, in conjunction with officials from Northshore Mall, Homeland Security, and corporate loss prevention agencies from Sephora, Victoria’s Secret, Gap, Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister assisted with operation. The search warrant was the direct result of a lengthy and extensive Organized Retail Shoplifting Ring investigation led by Peabody Police. Three persons were arrested and taken into custody by the Chelsea Police Department.
Miguel Lopez, 32; Pedro Vasquez, 48; and Juventina Ramirez, 50; all of 140 Chestnut St. #3 in Chelsea.