On the evening of April 7, 2023, a gathering around a bonfire in Rochester, Massachusetts, took a tragic turn, ending the life of 41-year-old Justin Doberck, a White male from the nearby town of Mattapoisett. What began as a social get-together among friends dissolved into a fatal argument, forever altering the course of several lives. The dispute that evening centered on Doberck's relationship with Haley Perry, a woman he had been dating for three to four years. Present at the bonfire were Doberck, Haley, and her brother, 34-year-old Cody Perry.
As the night wore on, tensions escalated between Doberck and Cody Perry. The group, who had been drinking, moved from the woods to Perry's residence at 259 New Bedford Road. Fearing for his and his sister's safety after alleged threats from Doberck, Cody Perry retrieved a legally owned firearm from a safe inside his home. The confrontation reached its climax when, according to Perry's account, Doberck, described as a "big dude," threw him to the ground. It was at that moment that Perry claims he fired the gun.
Rochester Police received a report of gunshots at approximately 9:34 p.m. and arrived to find Doberck on the ground with a single gunshot wound to his chest. First responders performed CPR at the scene before transporting him to St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford. Despite their efforts, Justin Doberck was pronounced dead at around 10:15 p.m. A black semi-automatic handgun, a magazine, and one spent shell casing were recovered at the scene.
Cody Perry was taken into custody at his home without incident and was subsequently charged with homicide. In his statements to the police, Perry expressed regret over the outcome, describing the event as a "crazy situation." During legal proceedings, Perry's defense argued that Doberck had a history of being abusive toward Haley Perry and that the shooting was an accident where Doberck was the primary aggressor. In March 2025, Cody Perry was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. He was sentenced to serve eight to ten years in state prison for the shooting death of his sister's boyfriend.
