On a cold December morning in 1988, the body of 22-year-old Hispanic/Latino male Jose 'Charlie' Mojica was found discarded on Branch Street in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The grim discovery was made on December 28th in a desolate area near the Attleboro border, a location frequented more by the occasional passing train than by people. Mojica, a resident of the Prospect Heights neighborhood, had been shot multiple times in the head in what investigators believe was a targeted killing.
Despite having had minor run-ins with the law, those who knew Mojica did not consider him a bad person. His nephew, Hector, described him as a likable young man with a lot of heart, though he also acknowledged that his uncle had been involved in drugs. Investigators have long believed that Mojica may have angered the wrong person, leading to his violent death. In the days leading up to the discovery of his body, Mojica had attended a party, and detectives have expressed a continuing interest in speaking with anyone who was there and might hold a piece of the puzzle to his final days.
Over three decades have passed since Jose Mojica's murder, yet the case remains unsolved. While police have had persons of interest over the years, no arrests have ever been made, and no specific suspects have been named publicly. The Pawtucket Police Department continues to seek information from the public, hoping that someone will come forward with the key to bringing closure to his family. The case is now considered a cold case, one of several from that era that still haunt the city.
