In the early morning hours of March 15, 2019, a gathering at a Methuen hookah shop turned tragic, leading to the death of 30-year-old Kelvin Frias, a Black/African American male from Lawrence. The incident occurred at Mr. Hookah on Broadway, where Frias was attending an after-hours party. An argument erupted when the owner of the establishment requested payment for alcohol that had been served. Frias, a former U.S.
Marine and a friend of the storeowner, attempted to de-escalate the situation.
The conflict involved another attendee, 24-year-old Remy Salazar of Lawrence. After being asked to leave by Frias, Salazar departed from the location. However, he returned approximately 30 minutes later. Upon his return, Salazar shouted at the storeowner and then fired multiple shots towards a group of people standing outside, which included Frias. Frias was struck in the head by a bullet. He was rushed to a Boston hospital where he succumbed to his injuries the following morning.
An investigation was immediately launched by the Methuen Police and the Essex District Attorney's office. The shooting was not considered a random act of violence, with authorities believing it stemmed from the earlier dispute at the party. Investigators quickly identified Remy Salazar as the primary suspect. He was tracked to a residence in Nashua, New Hampshire, and arrested on the afternoon of March 15 on unrelated warrants. A warrant for the murder of Kelvin Frias was obtained the next day. Salazar was subsequently charged with murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling.
In the course of their investigation, a second individual, 23-year-old Darren Jimenez of Lawrence, was also arrested. Jimenez was charged with being an accessory after the fact to the murder. In November 2021, after a six-day trial, a jury found Remy Salazar guilty of second-degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. During the sentencing, Kelvin Frias was remembered by his family as "the thread that held our family together" and a "gentle giant who was only trying to play peacemaker that evening".
