In the late hours of a summer night in Everett, Massachusetts, on August 13, 2015, the life of a young mother was tragically cut short. Ashlee Berryman, a 21-year-old Caucasian female from Malden, was fatally shot in what authorities have described as a senseless act of violence where she was not the intended target. At the time of her death, Berryman was the mother of a three-year-old boy.
On that fateful night, Berryman was at the Braza Bar and Grill on School Street to support her
boyfriend, who was performing in a concert. Later in the evening, she was in the parking lot, where family members said she was handing out CDs to promote her boyfriend's music. It was in this seemingly innocuous setting that a dispute erupted between a group of individuals, leading to a cascade of events with devastating consequences.
For nearly nine years, the case of Ashlee Berryman's death remained a painful, unsolved mystery for her grieving family and the community. However, the persistence of investigators eventually led to a breakthrough. In January 2024, an arrest was finally made in the cold case. Henry "JR" Del-Rio, then 27 years old, was indicted on multiple charges, including first-degree murder.
Prosecutors allege that Del-Rio, a suspected member of the "East Side Money" gang, was in the parking lot of the Braza Bar and Grill after the concert when an argument broke out between his associates and two other men. As the two men were leaving, Del-Rio allegedly pulled out a. 40-caliber semi-automatic pistol and fired nine shots into the crowd. One of those bullets struck Ashlee Berryman in the back, killing her. Another man involved in the initial dispute was shot in the ankle. Authorities believe Berryman was an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire.
Following the shooting, the case went cold for years. Investigators believe that Del-Rio and his associates conspired to conceal the truth, including disposing of the murder weapon, which has never been recovered. Witnesses reportedly told authorities that Del-Rio had made statements in the days following the shooting indicating his involvement. At the time of his indictment for Berryman's murder, Del-Rio was already in federal custody on unrelated charges. He has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ashlee Berryman.
