Third and Final Defendant Found Guilty of Murder in Connection with 2016 Fatal Shooting of Omar Wilfredo Reyes

EVERETT — Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Everett Chief of Police Steven Mazzie have announced that Rigoberto Landaverde-Lemus, 28, of Everett, was found guilty by a Middlesex Superior Court jury yesterday of first-degree murder in connection with the January 3, 2016 fatal shooting of 19-year-old Omar Wilfredo Reyes, of Everett.

Sentencing is scheduled for August 23, 2022 at 12:00 p.m.

At approximately 12:20 a.m. on January 3, 2016, Everett Police responded to a report of an injured man under the Tileston Street Bridge behind Carter Street in Everett. Upon arrival, they located Reyes, who had sustained a gunshot wound to the head. He was found directly beneath MS-13 graffiti. It appeared that the victim had been wearing headphones when he was shot as his music was still playing when he was located by a passerby. Reyes was then transported to Massachusetts General Hospital where he died from his injuries on January 4.

Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and Everett Police immediately began an investigation.

Through their investigation, authorities learned that on January 2, 2016, the victim received several messages from Jose Vasquez Ardon, asking him to meet. Reyes met the defendant, who was accompanied by Ardon, and Cristian Nunez, at the underpass of the Tileston Street Bridge where the fatal shooting occurred. Authorities also observed that the victim had a 14 inch slash in his jacket.

Investigators obtained surveillance footage from the location of the meet. One clip, shows the three males and the victim. About seven and a half minutes later, the three defendants can be seen emerging from the underpass without the victim.

A search of the home of Jose Vasquez Ardon resulted in authorities locating clothing hidden in the basement ceiling rafters. DNA from all three defendants was found on separate items of clothing. The clothing containing Lemus’ DNA also had evidence of gun-shot residue in the pocket.

Christian Nunez was found guilty by a Middlesex Superior Court of second-degree murder on June 15, 2018. Jose Vasquez Ardon was found guilty by a Middlesex Superior Court of first-degree murder on March 26, 2019.

This case was investigated by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, the Everett Police Department and Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office.

The prosecutors assigned to this case were Assistant District Attorneys Carrie Spiros, Whitney Williams, and Lindsay Russell. The Victim Witness Advocate was Dora Quiroz.