Man Arraigned in 2019 Fatal Shooting
BOSTON, May 5, 2020—The man who fatally shot 43-year-old Pascual Casiano and injured a second man at a Roslindale auto shop last year was arraigned yesterday on murder and other charges, District Attorney Rachael Rollins announced.
RICHARD LUGO, 43, of Dorchester, was arraigned May 4, 2020 on an indictment charging him with first-degree murder, armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm, and larceny of a motor vehicle. At the request of the Commonwealth, Suffolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone ordered Mr. Lugo held without bail while the case is pending.
Mr. Casiano and the surviving victim worked selling cars at a lot on the property of an auto body shop on American Legion Highway in Roslindale. The defendant worked at the auto body shop. On October 31, 2019, the defendant confronted Mr. Casiano at the location, and the two became involved in a physical altercation. The surviving victim and a customer of the auto body shop attempted to intervene.
Rather than allow the feud to be broken up, Mr. Lugo produced a firearm and fired at the victims. Mr. Casiano was struck in the abdomen and died. The surviving victim was struck in the hand and fled to retrieve his phone from a vehicle. Mr. Lugo pointed the gun at him again and ordered him to get out of the vehicle or he was going to kill him, Assistant District Attorney Tara Burdman stated to the Court.
Mr. Lugo fled in another vehicle that he stole from a customer of the body shop.
“I’d like to thank the individuals who called 911 and those with medical training who ran to Mr. Casiano’s aid. Your valiant efforts on his behalf show the decency and humanity in people and I hope bring a small piece of comfort to Mr. Casiano’s grieving loved ones,” District Attorney Rollins said.
Multiple witnesses identified Mr. Lugo as the individual involved in the altercation. The vehicle he used to flee the shooting was found in Hyde Park in December 2019. Mr. Lugo was apprehended and taken into custody in New York on April 29, 2020, He waived rendition, paving the way for his return to Massachusetts and yesterday’s arraignment.
“Every sector of our society has been impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. The challenges created by this global pandemic, however, have done nothing to change to hard work of state, local and federal law enforcement and our commitment to finding answers for the survivors of homicide and seeking accountability and justice for the people of Suffolk County,” District Attorney Rollins said. “If you commit an act of violence or take a life, we will hold you accountable. You will be sent to a place where you are potentially at a heightened risk of contracting COVID-19. If you engage in behavior that puts the community at risk we will advocate to remove you from the community. That safety risk to our community will outweigh any individualized public health threat or argument made to flatten the curve. The people of Suffolk County deserve to be safe and I will always fight for public safety.”
Assistant District Attorney Tara Burdman of District Attorney Rollins’ Homicide Unit is prosecuting the case. Elise McConnell is the assigned Victim Witness Advocate. Mr. Lugo was represented by Lefteris Travayiakis. The case returns to Court on June 23.
Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins’ office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 25,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.