Second man arrested on murder charge in fatal shooting of Mass. man at car meet-up
A second man has been arrested and charged with murder in the fatal shooting of a Brockton man during a June car meet-up in Dedham , the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office announced Tuesday.
Malden resident James A. Brown Jr., 23, is accused of killing 20-year-old Jaylani Cole and wounding another 20-year-old man who survived his gunshot wounds, the district attorney's office said in a press release. Police arrested Brown at his home without incident the morning of Sept. 25.
Brown is facing charges of murder, armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a firearm and carrying a firearm without a license in connection with the double shooting, the district attorney's office said.
Another man — 23-year-old Dorchester resident Franci Villar — was previously charged with the same counts in connection with the incident. He was arrested on July 20 and pleaded not guilty in Dedham District Court.
The investigation into the shooting
Cole was hit with gunfire in a parking lot at 688 Providence Highway in Dedham on June 25, the district attorney's office said. The investigation into the shooting indicated it happened during a car meet-up near a BJ's Wholesale Club on Route 1 that had been organized over social media.
First-responders treated Cole's gunshot wounds at the scene before he was rushed to a hospital where he died of his injuries, the district attorney's office said. The other man who was shot was also taken to a hospital and ultimately survived.
Dedham and State Police investigated the shooting and identified Brown as a suspect based on witness interviews and security video from nearby businesses, the district attorney's office said. A warrant for his arrest was issued on Aug. 22.
The State Police fugitive apprehension unit then investigated Brown's whereabouts and eventually discovered that he was living at a Malden home, the district attorney's office said. Authorities also obtained a search warrant for the home and seized evidence during his arrest.
The case so far
After being taken into custody, police took Brown to Dedham District Court to be arraigned on lesser charges, the district attorney's office said. He pleaded not guilty and was held without bail, according to court records.
Within days, a grand jury indicted Brown and Villar on the upgraded charges in Norfolk County Superior Court, the district attorney's office said. Brown and Villar are being held without bail until their arraignments in superior court, which are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
The grand jury also indicted a third suspect in the case — 24-year-old East Boston resident Ivelisse Santiago — on charges of accessory after the fact of murder and carrying a firearm without a license, the district attorney's office said. The judge ordered her held on $25,000 cash bail, and she was later released after posting bail.
Dedham and State Police and the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office are still investigating the shooting. They ask that anyone with information about it call the district attorney's office at 781-830-4990.
Remembering Jaylani Cole
Jaylani Xavier Cole was "a proud graduate" of Boston Public Schools, according to his obituary . He was "a young man of many talents," but was especially passionate about building and riding bikes, working on cars and spending time in nature.
Cole's family and friends remember him for having a great sense of humor and "boundless energy," according to his obituary. He could often be found dancing, singing or rapping.
"He was the life of the party, always surrounded by laughter, always leaving people smiling. While he sometimes wore a tough exterior, those who knew him best understood that it was just his armor. Beneath it was a gentle, generous, and selfless soul," his obituary reads.
Cole had "a heart full of love," and leaves behind a legacy of loyalty, empathy and compassion, according to his obituary.
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