In the early hours of January 20, 2019, the life of 18-year-old Jaden Salois was tragically cut short in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. A resident of the nearby town of Dalton, the male teenager was discovered deceased from a gunshot wound to the torso on Edward Avenue at approximately 2:13 a.m. His death was swiftly ruled a homicide by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, launching an intensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting.
The investigation,
which was the first homicide case under the administration of Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington, involved a collaborative effort between the Pittsfield Police Department, State Police detectives, the Berkshire County Sheriff's Department, and forensic scientists. Through their diligent work, investigators uncovered a premeditated plot to lure Jaden to his death. The scheme was orchestrated by three individuals who operated a marijuana distribution business. They used a fraudulent social media account to entice Salois from a residence on Edward Avenue, where he was then shot in the back.
On April 5, 2019, authorities arrested two brothers, Chiry Omar Pascual-Polanco and Carlos Pascual-Polanco, in connection with Jaden's murder. A third suspect, Dasean Smith, was later charged in June of the same year. The subsequent legal proceedings brought a measure of justice for Jaden and his loved ones. In September 2022, following a two-week trial in Berkshire Superior Court that featured testimony from over 30 witnesses, a jury found Chiry Omar Pascual-Polanco, then 26, and Carlos Pascual-Polanco, then 22, guilty of murder in the first degree. Both brothers were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. They were also found guilty on several other charges, including illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
The third co-defendant, Dasean Smith, then 24, chose to plead guilty to manslaughter and related firearm charges in October 2022, thereby avoiding another lengthy trial for Jaden's family. He was sentenced to serve 15 to 18 years in state prison for his role in the killing. The convictions of all three men brought a close to the extensive investigation and legal battle, holding them accountable for the senseless and violent end to a young man's life.
