Contact: Beth Stone 508-584-8120
BROCKTON – A man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter for his role in connection with the fatal shooting of a Brockton man, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz has announced.
Today, in Brockton Superior Court, Dvante Bly-Mollenthiel, now 25 years old, pleaded guilty to one count of Voluntary Manslaughter and firearm charges in the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Christopher Lascase of Brockton. Judge William Sullivan adopted the recommendation offered by the Commonwealth, and the defendant was sentenced to 12-15 years in state prison on the manslaughter indictment. Additionally, Bly-Mollenthiel was sentenced to concurrent committed time and probation from and after on the firearm indictments.
On October 23, 2020, at approximately 6:21 pm, Brockton Police received multiple 911 calls regarding a shooting at the Super 8 Motel in Brockton. Upon arrival, Brockton Police were directed to Room 212 where they discovered a male victim suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton, where he was pronounced dead.
Brockton Police contacted Massachusetts State Police Detectives assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office and an investigation commenced. As a result of that investigation, State Police and Brockton Police sought and received an arrest warrant for Bly-Mollenthiel, then 22 years-old, and he was taken into custody.
As part of the investigation into the fatal shooting, police developed information that Valdir Rodrigues, 39, of Weymouth, went with Bly-Mollenthiel to buy drugs from Lascase, and was present for the shooting. Rodrigues was taken into custody and is next scheduled to appear in court on March 7 for a status update.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Sharon Thibeault and Jason Herron, and was investigated by Massachusetts State Police and Brockton Police.