In the early evening hours of Memorial Day, May 30, 2022, the life of 23-year-old Hispanic male Luis Yadiel Lebron Alvelo of Chicopee, Massachusetts, was cut short by gunfire. At approximately 5:04 p.m., Chicopee Police responded to reports of shots fired in the vicinity of the 1200 block of Grattan Street. Upon their arrival, officers discovered a grim scene; Lebron Alvelo was found suffering from a gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased at the location.
The investigation into the
homicide was a collaborative effort between the Chicopee Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Hampden District Attorney's Office. Investigators quickly began to piece together the events that led to Lebron Alvelo's death, and their efforts soon pointed towards two individuals from the neighboring city of Springfield. The intelligence gathered allowed them to develop probable cause and move forward with apprehending the suspects.
On June 8, 2022, the first suspect, 31-year-old Thania Rosado of Springfield, was located and taken into custody on a charge of murder. The investigation continued, and two days later, on June 10, authorities located the second suspect, 38-year-old Jose Amaro, also of Springfield. Amaro was arrested at a residence on Loring Street in Springfield by a team that included the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section, the Hampden District Attorney's State Police Detective Unit, and officers from the Chicopee and Springfield Police Departments, along with the Hampden County Sheriff's Department.
Following Amaro's arrest, a search warrant was executed at the Loring Street residence. The search uncovered two handguns, ammunition with high-capacity feeding devices, and materials used for packaging narcotics. Both Rosado and Amaro were booked at the Chicopee Police Department and charged with the murder of Luis Yadiel Lebron Alvelo. Thania Rosado was held without the right to bail, with a court date scheduled for later in June. Jose Amaro was also held in custody pending his arraignment in Chicopee District Court.
