Do you know who murdered Michael Depina? On a summer evening in Boston, a 29-year-old Black man named Michael Depina was fatally shot. The incident occurred shortly after 8:40 p.m. on Friday, June 6, 2014, near 5 Taft Street in the Dorchester neighborhood. When Boston Police officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Depina suffering from gunshot wounds next to an overturned motorcycle. He was transported to Boston Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Friends and family created a makeshift memorial for him in front of 6 Taft Street, lighting candles in his memory.
The brother of the victim was a known peace advocate and political activist in the Dorchester community. In the wake of his brother's death, he made a public plea for an end to violence, asking for improved mental healthcare for underprivileged youth to help prevent such tragedies. He questioned the motives of his brother's killer, asking "was it worth it?" and expressed a desire for an apology to his family.
Investigators at the scene recovered a gun near Depina's body and the motorcycle, and a second firearm was found near the Pleasant Street end of the road. Despite the ongoing investigation and the emotional pleas from his family, no arrests have been announced in the case. The Boston Police Department has continued to ask for the public's assistance in solving the murder, seeking any information that could bring justice to his family.
