In the early hours of May 22, 2023, the life of Shelson Jules, a 22-year-old Black/African American man from Waltham, Massachusetts, was tragically cut short. Just a block from his home, on a sidewalk in the area of Lyman Street and Faneuil Road, Jules was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. Friends and family remembered Jules, known to some as JJ, as a kind, compassionate, and loving individual who had immigrated with his family from Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. He had attended UMass Boston before leaving to help support his family, with dreams of buying them a new home.
The events leading to his death began with a dispute on a Snapchat group call between Jules and another Waltham resident, Josh Pierre, then 21. The argument escalated, and the two agreed to meet for a physical fight. Shortly after 1:29 a.m., Pierre, accompanied by at least one other person, traveled to meet Jules. A brief exchange turned into a physical altercation. During the confrontation, Pierre allegedly produced a firearm and shot Jules twice from behind before fleeing the scene. A neighborhood resident recalled hearing four or five quick gunshots, but no yelling or sounds of cars speeding away.
An investigation was immediately launched by Waltham Police and Massachusetts State Police detectives. In July 2023, authorities identified Josh Pierre as the alleged shooter and issued a warrant for his arrest on charges of murder and possession of a firearm. Another man, Strawensky Cebeat, 21, of Waltham, was arrested and charged with accessory after the fact to murder and withholding evidence, as he was allegedly in the vehicle with Pierre at the time of the shooting. Pierre, however, had taken steps to evade capture and fled the state. The manhunt for him concluded on September 22, 2023, when he was located and arrested without incident in Miramar, Florida, by the U.S. Marshals Task Force and Massachusetts State Police.
Following his apprehension, Pierre was extradited to Massachusetts to face justice. He was arraigned in Waltham District Court on charges of murder and possession of a firearm. In May 2025, a Middlesex Superior Court jury found Josh Pierre guilty of voluntary manslaughter and carrying a firearm without a license. His accomplice, Strawensky Cebeat, later pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to murder and tampering with evidence.
