In the early morning hours of September 24, 2016, what appeared to be a straightforward fatal car accident in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, began to unfold into a much darker story. A 23-year-old Hispanic male named Dylan J. Contreras was found inside his BMW, which had crashed into a tree on Underwood Street around 2 a.m. First responders initially treated the scene as a tragic, but accidental, single-vehicle crash.
However, the subsequent investigation by the Rhode Island Medical Examiner's Office revealed a startling truth: Contreras had not died from the impact of the crash, but from a gunshot wound to his head. This discovery immediately reclassified his death as a homicide, launching an intensive investigation by the Pawtucket Police Department.
At the time of his death, Contreras was a young father to a four-year-old daughter and was eagerly awaiting the birth of his second child with his girlfriend, Naomy Rodriguez. Described by his family as a young man who was actively trying to turn his life around for his growing family, the news of his violent death sent shockwaves through his community. He was the eldest of five children and had once played football for the Darlington Braves. The search for his killer would stretch on for more than a year, leaving his loved ones waiting for answers and justice.
The breakthrough in the case came in December 2017, when authorities arrested 25-year-old Alexander Dejesus of Chicopee, Massachusetts. The investigation revealed that on the night of the incident, Dejesus had been walking down Japonica Street with three other people after leaving a party. Contreras, driving his car, pulled up alongside the group, and an exchange of words occurred. In the moments that followed, Dejesus drew a. 38 caliber semi-automatic handgun and fired twice at Contreras, striking him and causing his death. Following his arrest, Dejesus was charged with murder and firearm offenses.
In March 2019, just as his trial was set to begin, Alexander Dejesus accepted a plea deal. He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter and carrying a pistol without a license. A judge sentenced him to 30 years in prison, with 21 of those years to be served. He also received a consecutive 10-year suspended sentence for the firearm charge. Additionally, Dejesus was sentenced to three years for his involvement in an unrelated drive-by shooting that took place in Providence in 2017.
