Haverhill

Nike Colon’s Mom Issues Plea for Peace Ahead of First Anniversary of Son’s Murder

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On the eve of the first anniversary of the shooting death of Haverhill’s Nike Colon, the 20-year-old’s mother Michelee Geronimo tells WHAV she’s choosing to stay busy and positive as she remembers the “goofy” kid she says was “always laughing” and loved to cook. Planning a graveside remembrance Friday afternoon with friends and family, Geronimo hopes the anniversary of his drive-by shooting death will be a non-violent one. After all, retaliation fails to serve a purpose, she tells WHAV. “Guns are not the way, violence is not the way, gangs are not the way. If retaliation really was the way to bring him back, believe me I would be leading that pack, but there’s no point in it,” Geronimo said.

crime

DeNaro to Address Haverhill Violence at Council Meeting: ‘This Should Not Be the New Normal’

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Haverhill City Council President John A. Michitson is speaking for the city and saying ‘enough.’ In the wake of a dozen shootings and stabbings over the last nine months—two of them fatal—Michitson, along with Councilor Michael S. McGonagle, has requested Haverhill Police Chief Alan R. DeNaro update residents on the efforts to curb gang-related violence. On Tuesday night, DeNaro plans to do just that. On Friday, Michitson told his constituents he has “serious concern” for the safety of Haverhill at large after a spate of what he calls “senseless violence.”

“This should not be the new normal,” Mitchitson said. “It is a serious concern that warrants our full attention. As a community, we need to come together to ensure the safety of all Haverhill citizens.”

As WHAV previously reported, Haverhill men Jeffrey Larkin and Nike Colon were gunned down 11 days apart in May 2018, with Colon’s murder triggering what police called an all-out “gang war” in the city.

Haverhill

Oliver Attorney Casts Doubt on Found Firearm After Pat-Frisk: ‘Something Went Wrong’

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Criminal defense attorney Alex Moskovsky (left) acted on Elijah Oliver’s behalf during a Haverhill District Court arraignment September 21. (WHAV News photograph)

Arraigned on unlicensed firearms charges Friday, Haverhill’s Elijah Oliver appointed a new attorney who cast doubt that the handgun found in a police cruiser belonged to his client. Instead, attorney Alex Moskovsky pointed fingers at the three officers that carried out, what was called, a “brief” pat-frisk of Oliver when he was arrested as his 257 Lowell Ave., home Thursday morning. As WHAV previously reported, 19-year-old Oliver was handcuffed amid the pat-frisk that resulted in found marijuana—but not the Smith & Wesson 9mm loaded with seven bullets. Acknowledging that the pat-frisk was likely done hastily given the circumstances, Oliver’s attorney placed blame on the three officers—including a State Police trooper—on scene.

Haverhill

Police Find Gang Member’s Loaded Gun in Cruiser After Arrest Tied to Lowell Ave. Shooting

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Elijah J. Oliver made what is believed to be gang signs at WHAV’s reporter during his Haverhill District Court arraignment Thursday. (WHAV News photograph.)

Haverhill Police apparently missed a loaded handgun—which made its way into a police cruiser—during the arrest of a 19-year-old gang suspect Thursday morning. Elijah J. Oliver somehow placed the gun, with seven rounds of live ammunition, into the rear of a police cruiser and sat next to it after being taken into custody just before 9 a.m. He was arrested on a warrant served by Haverhill Police who were joined by State Police. However, according to a police report obtained by WHAV, Oliver’s “tumultuous” movements upon being handcuffed apparently caused police to miss the gun during a “brief” pat-frisk. The gun, a Smith & Wesson 9mm with seven rounds in a magazine, was discovered in the side pocket of the rear passenger door of the police car.

Haverhill

Almonte, Accused of May Gang-Related Murder, Pleads Not Guilty at Arraignment

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Eddy Almonte, seen here in his booking photo from Winchester, Va., returns to court Sept. 12. The man accused of shooting 20-year-old Nike Colon in May pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Wednesday. Twenty-seven-year-old Eddy Manuel Almonte was arraigned yesterday in Salem Superior Court on charges of first degree murder, carrying a firearm without a license and attempted assault and battery with a firearm. He was ordered held without bail and returns to court Sept.

Haverhill

Police Arrest Second Man for Stabbings in Haverhill’s Lafayette Square

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A second city man has been arrested in connection with stabbings earlier this month in Haverhill’s Lafayette Square. (Jay Saulnier file photograph for WHAV News)

Haverhill Police Thursday arrested a second man in connection with the July 13 stabbings in the city’s Lafayette Square neighborhood. Gilbert Vasquez, of 11 High St., was taken into custody at 12:40 p.m. by Det. James Cotreau on a warrant related to the incident, which left a Methuen man and a Nashua, N.H., man with serious injuries. Arrested at 100 Salem St., Vasquez now faces an assault to murder charge.

Haverhill

Grand Jury Indicts Haverhill Man Accused of Murdering Nike Colon

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Eddy Almonte (seen here in his booking photo from Winchester, Va.)has been indicted for the May 2018 murder of Haverhill’s Nike Colon, WHAV can exclusively reveal. A secret grand jury proceeding has resulted in the indictment of alleged gang member Eddy Almonte, the Haverhill man accused of murdering 20-year-old Nike Colon, WHAV can exclusively reveal. Almonte is scheduled to be arraigned in Superior Court next month, DA spokeswoman Carrie Kimball Monahan tells WHAV. The 27-year-old was indicted on June 28. Court-appointed criminal attorney Eduardo A. Masferrer heads up his defense, and tells WHAV Almonte looks forward to his day in court.

Archive

Gonzalez, Marte Set for Superior Court Hearings on Haverhill Gun Charges

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Nestor Gonzalez and Juan Marte appear in Essex County Superior Court later this month. (File photograph)

Two known gang members whose local criminal history dates back to the 2016 Swasey Field shooting are set for Superior Court appearances later this month after grand juries indicted them on new firearms charges. Nestor Gonzalez and Juan Marte were arrested and charged with unlawful firearm possession in November 2017 when stopped by State Police in Haverhill’s Railroad Square. As WHAV exclusively reported last month, two others arrested on identical charges have already been freed. Cases against 20-year-old Lizmarie Lozada, and 22-year-old Carlos Rodriguez were dismissed.