On March 31, 2016, a dispute over money during a drug transaction in Salem, Massachusetts, tragically ended the life of 27-year-old Benjamin Magee, a male resident of the city. Magee had accompanied a friend who intended to purchase crack cocaine from Xavier Collazo, a 19-year-old from Roxbury. An argument erupted, during which Collazo drew a gun and shot Magee.
The fatal encounter occurred in an alleyway outside a home on Park Street.
Following the shooting, Collazo fled the state of Massachusetts. An investigation was launched, and authorities apprehended him in Jacksonville, Florida, on April 13, 2016. He was subsequently charged with the murder of Benjamin Magee. Initially, Collazo pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder and was held without bail.
In September 2018, Xavier Collazo reached a plea agreement with prosecutors. He pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter. Admitting to the shooting, Collazo was sentenced to serve 15 to 17 years in state prison for his role in the death of Benjamin Magee.
