Shane Bennett, a 24-year-old Black man, was fatally shot on August 16, 2015, on Newbury Street in Worcester, Massachusetts. The incident that led to his death was determined to be a drug deal that escalated into a robbery.
In the aftermath of the shooting, three men were indicted in connection with Bennett's death. The individuals charged were Jeffrey Johnson, 33, Mathew Pye, 30, and Simon Holley, 28, all from Worcester.
The charges brought against them by a Worcester County grand jury included murder, conspiracy to commit a crime, and armed robbery. Mathew Pye also faced charges of armed assault with intent to murder and possession of a firearm.
Court records revealed that Bennett was allegedly involved in a robbery with Johnson and Holley against Pye. During the robbery, Pye drew a handgun and fired, striking Holley in the hand and Bennett in the back, which resulted in Bennett's death.
Subsequent legal proceedings saw pleas and sentences for some of the involved parties. Mathew Pye pleaded guilty to manslaughter and assault charges and was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Jeffrey Johnson pleaded guilty to several charges, including armed robbery and witness intimidation, and received a six-year prison sentence. Prosecutors dropped the murder charges against both Johnson and Holley. Holley was still awaiting trial on robbery charges as of August 2018. The other suspects, Jeffrey Johnson and Simon Holley, also entered not guilty pleas to the initial murder charges.
