On a cold January night in Framingham, Massachusetts, the life of James "Manny" Wade Sr. was tragically cut short. On January 10, 2020, the 45-year-old Black / African American man was found suffering from a fatal gunshot wound in the parking lot of the Cushing Gardens apartment complex. First responders were dispatched to the scene on multicultural Cushing Street shortly after 11:00 PM following reports of gunfire.
Wade was quickly transported to MetroWest Medical Center, but he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival, leaving a community in shock and a family searching for answers.
The investigation into the homicide was launched immediately, with the Framingham Police Department and the Middlesex District Attorney's Office leading the inquiry. Investigators soon determined that the shooting was not a random act of violence. Their focus quickly narrowed to a single suspect, a 20-year-old Framingham man named Joseph "Jo-Jo" Aponte. A warrant for Aponte's arrest was issued, and a manhunt ensued. Less than a month later, on February 5, 2020, Aponte was located and apprehended in Dorchester by a team of U.S. Marshals and state and local police.
Following his capture, Joseph Aponte was charged with murder in connection with the death of James Wade Sr. Prosecutors alleged that the motive for the killing was robbery. According to the investigation, Aponte had planned to rob Wade during a marijuana deal. During the course of this planned robbery, Aponte allegedly shot and killed him. Aponte was subsequently indicted by a grand jury on charges of first-degree murder, armed robbery, and illegal possession of a firearm. The case then moved to the Middlesex Superior Court to await trial, marking the next chapter in the pursuit of justice for James Wade Sr. and his family.
