On the evening of December 23, 2023, in Fall River, Massachusetts, a burst of violence shattered the holiday season. Juan Manuel Batista Castro, a 44-year-old Hispanic male, was on the porch of a residence at 326 Bank Street when gunshots rang out at approximately 5:18 p.m.. First responders, arriving after a series of 911 calls, discovered Batista Castro with a fatal gunshot wound.
Emergency medical personnel at the scene determined he had no signs of life and he was pronounced deceased right there on the porch. Another man was found nearby with a gunshot wound to his hand, an injury that was not considered life-threatening. He was taken to Charlton Memorial Hospital for treatment.
The investigation into the shooting was a collaborative effort involving the Fall River Police, Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the Bristol County District Attorney's Office, and law enforcement from Willimantic, Connecticut. This multi-state investigation led to a significant breakthrough in January 2024. Investigators identified 22-year-old Angel Fabian Robles-Nicasio of Willimantic, Connecticut, as a suspect in the death of Batista Castro.
On January 25, 2024, an arrest warrant was issued for Robles-Nicasio, charging him with murder, carrying an illegal firearm, and conspiracy to traffic cocaine in connection with the fatal shooting. His arrest was part of a larger, long-term investigation into racketeering and gang activity by the Willimantic Police, which resulted in the apprehension of eleven other individuals. At the time the murder charge was announced, Robles-Nicasio was already in custody in Connecticut on a charge of Corrupt Organization and Racketeering Act and was being held on $75,000 bail. The new murder charge ensured he would not be released even if he posted the bail in Connecticut. He was set to be arraigned as a fugitive from justice in Connecticut before facing legal proceedings in Massachusetts for the murder and firearm charges.
