On the night of April 19, 2025, Andrew Owens, a 38-year-old Black male from Boston, was fatally shot in the Roxbury neighborhood. The incident occurred at approximately 11:03 p.m. near 2343 Washington Street, where police responded to a report of a person shot. Upon arrival, officers found Owens suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
A second person was also injured in the shooting but sustained non-life-threatening injuries and self-transported to a hospital.
Investigations revealed that Owens was an innocent bystander in a shooting that stemmed from a dispute between three individuals. Authorities later arrested Charles Dixon, 40, of Dorchester; Ellis Santos, 36, of Hyde Park; and Jacqueline Cherisme, 34, of Dorchester, in connection with the fatal shooting. The incident reportedly began with an argument over money between Dixon and Santos near Dudley Station.
According to the Middlesex District Attorney's Office, Cherisme drove Dixon to the location where the argument with Santos took place. After the argument, as Cherisme and Dixon were driving away, Dixon allegedly fired from the passenger side of the vehicle, striking Owens. Santos reportedly returned fire, but did not hit anyone. Following the incident, Cherisme is accused of providing false statements to the police regarding Santos's involvement.
Charles Dixon was charged with murder, armed assault to murder, attempted assault and battery with a firearm, and two firearm violations. Ellis Santos faced charges of carrying a firearm without a license, carrying a loaded firearm without a license, and a firearm violation with a prior violent/drug crime. Jacqueline Cherisme was charged with being an accessory after the fact, two counts of witness intimidation, and two counts of withholding evidence. Dixon was held without bail, while bail was set for Santos and Cherisme. Funeral services for Andrew Owens were held on May 3, 2025, at the J.B. Johnson Funeral Home in Roxbury.
