In the late afternoon of March 15, 2022, a burst of violence shattered the quiet of an East Street neighborhood in Brockton, Massachusetts. A young Black man, 24-year-old Brima Koroma of Boston, was found suffering from a single gunshot wound to the chest. Emergency responders rushed him to a local hospital, but his life could not be saved. The incident, which occurred around 4:44 p.m., prompted a flurry of 911 calls and launched an immediate and intensive investigation by Brockton Police and
the Massachusetts State Police.
As detectives began to piece together the events of that tragic afternoon, their focus quickly narrowed on two individuals seen leaving the area of the shooting in separate cars. Warrants were issued for the arrest of 33-year-old Brendan Fernandes of Brockton and 25-year-old Destiny A. Fontes Silie of Warwick, Rhode Island. The pair had fled the state, sparking a multi-state search.
The day after the shooting, their flight from justice came to an end hundreds of miles away. Virginia State Police troopers, acting on information from Massachusetts authorities, pulled over a blue sedan in Chesterfield, Virginia. Inside were Fernandes and Silie, who were taken into custody without incident. They waived rendition and were transported back to Massachusetts to face charges in connection with Koroma's death.
Once back in Brockton, Brendan Fernandes was charged with murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition. Destiny A. Fontes Silie faced a charge of accessory after the fact to murder. At their arraignment, both pleaded not guilty. Fernandes was ordered held without bail, and Silie's bail on two other open cases was revoked, keeping her in custody as well. The case against them is being prosecuted by the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office.
