On the evening of May 14, 2021, Joseph Pauline, a 32-year-old male, went to the Richdale Food Market on Brock Avenue in New Bedford, Massachusetts, with another man named Johnny Santos. The seemingly ordinary visit to the convenience store took a tragic turn around 6:45 p.m. when they were approached by a group of four men in the parking lot. An altercation ensued, reportedly over a debt of $150 that Santos owed to one of the men for a pair of shoes.
The confrontation quickly escalated.
One of the men, Anthony Rosario, allegedly punched Santos in the face. Moments later, another individual, Malique Smith, pulled out a handgun and fired at Joseph Pauline. First responders found Pauline in the parking lot with a gunshot wound to the neck. He was rushed to Saint Luke's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:44 p.m.
The investigation into the homicide led to the apprehension of three suspects. Christopher Boyer, 19, and Anthony Rosario, 20, were located and taken into custody for questioning the weekend following the shooting. Boyer was later charged with being an accessory to murder after the fact, while Rosario was charged with assault and battery to collect a loan.
On June 8, 2021, the alleged shooter, 20-year-old Malique Smith, was arrested in Fall River by a team of law enforcement officers including members of the Massachusetts State Police and U.S. Marshals. Smith faced charges of murder, carrying an illegal firearm, and carrying a loaded illegal firearm. A fourth man, Tyvon Martin, was identified from surveillance footage as being with the suspects at the scene.
