In the early hours of March 27, 2022, Jose Delacruz, a 32-year-old male, became the victim of a fatal shooting in Lawrence, Massachusetts. The incident unfolded outside a Bank of America ATM on Essex Street, where Delacruz was ambushed in an apparent armed robbery. The shooting left him with fatal wounds, and his life was tragically cut short.
The investigation into the death of Jose Delacruz was a collaborative effort between the Lawrence Police Department and the Essex County District
Attorney's Office. Their work led to the identification of three individuals allegedly involved in the deadly robbery. In May 2023, a grand jury indicted Lee Harvey, a 30-year-old from the Roslindale neighborhood of Boston, on a charge of murder. Harvey was also charged with armed robbery while masked, carrying a firearm, and carrying a loaded firearm.
A second suspect, Dennis Ortiz, 29, of Boston, was also indicted in connection with the killing. Ortiz was initially taken into custody on charges unrelated to the Lawrence homicide in June of 2022. He was later charged with armed robbery while masked, carrying a firearm without a license as a fourth offense, and illegal possession of a loaded firearm.
A third man, 29-year-old Carmelo Martinez of East Boston, was also arrested and indicted for his alleged role in the incident. Martinez faces a charge of armed robbery while masked. The case against all three suspects is being handled by the Essex County District Attorney's Office.
