Juan Carlos Morales, a 19-year-old Hispanic/Latino man, had come to the United States from Guatemala to build a new life. According to Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez, he was “just another person who came to this country trying to make a change in his life.” Morales, who worked as a carpenter, had a father living in Providence and a mother back in Guatemala.
His life was cut short just a month before his 20th birthday.
On the evening of Saturday, June 10, 2023, Morales was with a group of men drinking at John Donigian Park in the Olneyville neighborhood of Providence, Rhode Island. Around 9 p.m., an argument broke out between Morales and another man. Police later said they believed the two had a personal feud. Morales tried to walk away from the confrontation, but the other man followed him behind a concession stand. A single shot was heard, and Morales was found dead at the scene from a gunshot wound to the chest.
Providence police quickly identified a suspect, 19-year-old Kevin Giron, and a warrant was issued for his arrest on a murder charge. A manhunt began, and on Monday afternoon, police surrounded a house on Hudson Street where they believed Giron was hiding. After a four-hour standoff that involved closing streets and evacuating neighbors, authorities discovered that Giron had already fled.
The search for Giron ended on Wednesday, June 14, when investigators tracked him to a home on Union Avenue. He was found hiding in a closet under a stairwell and was arrested without incident. Police noted that Giron had a significant criminal history, including two gun-related charges in the previous year, and was out on bail for a weapons case at the time of the shooting.
On June 15, 2023, Kevin Giron was arraigned in Providence District Court. He was charged with first-degree murder, discharging a firearm while committing a crime of violence, carrying a pistol without a license, and committing a felony while on release. In court, a prosecutor stated that after his arrest, Giron admitted to shooting and killing Juan Carlos Morales.
