On a spring evening in Brockton, Massachusetts, the life of 17-year-old Dinho Fernandes was cut short by gunfire. On March 17, 1999, in what was described as a drive-by shooting on Sylvester Street, the male teenager was struck in the back by a 9mm bullet and pronounced dead at the scene. The violence that erupted that day also left two other teens wounded: 17-year-old Romulo Fernandes, who was not related to Dinho, and 19-year-old Adamo da Silviera. Authorities and neighbors believed the attack was the result of escalating tensions between rival groups of young people in the area.
The investigation into the homicide identified three main suspects believed to be connected to a gang known as the Stonehurst Street gang, which was involved in drug dealing and other violent activities. The three men accused in the killing were Amando Monteiro, Angelo Brandao, and Louis Rodrigues. Brandao, who was 20 at the time, became a central figure in the case. Though he was initially arrested for a separate shooting incident on May 14, 1999, investigators heavily questioned him about Dinho's death. During interrogation, Brandao became emotional when confronted with evidence related to the Fernandes murder, including details about the vehicle used in the shooting and eyewitness accounts, but he never confessed to the crime.
The three suspects were eventually brought up on federal charges for the gang-related slaying. They faced charges of murder in aid of racketeering, a crime that could have carried the death penalty. However, the U.S. attorney's office opted not to seek capital punishment in this case. In addition to the murder charge, the men also faced racketeering, conspiracy, and gun charges in federal court, as no state murder charges were filed in connection with Dinho Fernandes' death.
