In the winter of 2009, the life of Jose Fuentes, a 27-year-old Hispanic male, came to a tragic and abrupt end on the streets of Haverhill, Massachusetts. Born in Puerto Rico, Fuentes had moved to Haverhill several years prior and was working as a laborer for various construction companies. He was a father of two children, Cassandra and Jose. His unexpected death on Saturday, February 21, 2009, was the result of gun violence, setting in motion a homicide investigation that would lead authorities
to New York City and back.
The investigation into the shooting death of Jose Fuentes soon focused on a suspect named William Collazo. Weeks after the killing, Collazo surrendered to authorities in New York City. Detectives from the Haverhill police department and the Massachusetts State police traveled to New York to question him. During a recorded interview, Collazo denied being in Haverhill on the day of the murder, claiming he had left for New York before Valentine's Day.
Despite his initial denials, William Collazo was charged with the murder of Jose Fuentes. At trial, a clear motive for the killing emerged. The jury heard that on February 13, 2009, just days before the shooting, Collazo's former girlfriend had ended her relationship with him and immediately began dating Fuentes. The prosecution presented evidence that Collazo's actions were a result of deliberate premeditation. This included testimony from a witness who stated that Collazo had called him to ask about the type of car Fuentes drove and made a direct threat, saying, "I'm going to get that f---er." Approximately twenty minutes later, Collazo allegedly called the same witness again and confessed, stating that he had "just merked" the victim.
Ultimately, the jury found William Collazo guilty of murder in the first degree on the theory of deliberate premeditation. He was also convicted of carrying a firearm without a license. Collazo later appealed his convictions, arguing there were evidentiary errors and improper arguments during the prosecutor's closing statement. However, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts reviewed the case and affirmed the trial court's judgment, upholding the first-degree murder conviction. The court found no basis to set aside or reduce the verdict, solidifying the conclusion that William Collazo was responsible for the death of Jose Fuentes.
