Berta Pereira-Roldan, a 19-year-old Hispanic female from Revere, Massachusetts, had traveled to Providence, Rhode Island, on the night of September 28, 2019, for a joyous occasion: her own birthday celebration. A recent high school graduate with a bright future, she was described as a radiant, ambitious, and fun-loving young woman who was a loving daughter, sister, and friend. She and her friends spent the evening dancing and celebrating at Noah's Lounge, a local nightclub. The night of celebration turned into a tragedy in the early morning hours of September 29, 2019.
Just after 2 a.m., as the club closed and the crowd dispersed, Berta was walking to her car on Detroit Avenue with her friends when gunfire erupted. In the chaos, she was struck by multiple bullets. When police and emergency responders arrived, they found a devastating scene. Berta Pereira-Roldan was pronounced dead at the scene from her injuries. Another woman, 38-year-old Crystal Peloquin of North Providence, was also found with serious gunshot wounds but survived the attack. Investigators quickly determined that the two women, who did not know each other, were innocent bystanders. The intended targets were believed to be two men who had been talking with Peloquin near the club.
The senseless act of violence led to a complex investigation by the Providence Police Department. Using surveillance video, cellphone tracking data, and DNA evidence, authorities identified three suspects. In February 2020, police arrested Jimmy Castillo, Marklyn Brown, and Johnny Veng. A grand jury later returned a 20-count indictment against the three men, with charges including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, and numerous firearms offenses. All three were held without bail.
The legal process culminated in March 2025, when a jury found Johnny Veng and Marklyn Brown guilty of first-degree murder and the other related charges. For their roles in the murder of Berta Pereira-Roldan, both men were sentenced to serve double life sentences in prison, in addition to consecutive decades of non-parolable time. The conviction brought a measure of justice for a young life cut tragically short during what should have been a happy celebration.
