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Rhode Island Man to Serve Life for Murder of Brockton Siblings



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Contact:  Beth Stone- (508) 584-8120

BROCKTON – A jury has convicted a Rhode Island man for the 2010 murder of a brother and sister in Brockton, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz has announced.

After a 7-day trial, a jury deliberated eight hours before finding John V. Monteiro (DOB: 03-30-85) guilty of First Degree Murder in the deaths of Maria DePina, 26, and Jorge DePina, 30, of Brockton. Monteiro was additionally convicted on one count each of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Armed Home Invasion, and the Sale or Transfer of a Firearm. Brockton Superior Court Judge Richard Chin sentenced Monteiro to life without the possibility of parole.

On January 21, 2010, at approximately 9:16 a.m., Brockton and State Police responded to the scene of a double homicide at 52 Nilsson Street in Brockton. Upon arrival, inside the second floor apartment, police located the deceased body of a male, identified as Jorge DePina in a bed in the rear bedroom. His sister, Maria DePina was found on the kitchen floor. Both suffered gunshot wounds to the head.

An autopsy revealed that the cause of death for Maria DePina was a gunshot wound to the head with perforation of the skull and brain. The cause of death for Jorge DePina was gunshot wounds to the head/neck/torso with perforation of the skull and brain.

State Police Detectives assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office and the Brockton Police conducted an investigation, which found that Monteiro forced his way into the 52 Nilsson Street apartments and shot the victims in the head. The investigation further found that Monteiro later sold the gun used in the murders to an informant working with the FBI. The firearm was turned over to the State Police for ballistics and DNA testing. The testing results showed that the firearm sold by Monteiro was the gun used in the murders of Jorge and Maria DePina.

“On that morning, Mr. Monteiro entered the DePina home and stood over Jorge’s sleeping body and fired three shots,” DA Cruz said. “Maria was getting ready for work, heard the commotion and met up with Mr. Monteiro in the hallway. Mr. Monteiro shot Maria in the back of the head as she tried to get away. This was a brutal crime that decimated a family and stunned the Brockton community. ”

Throughout the trial, State Police and Brockton Police were forced to maintain a presence in the Brockton Superior Courthouse due to tension amongst supporters of the victims and the defendant. “This was a particularly tough case, and I want to commend those with the courage to come forward on this case,” DA Cruz said. “With their help, an extremely dangerous man is now off of the streets and we have hopefully gained some justice for the DePina family.”

After the verdicts were read in court today, Monteiro asked for a bench trial on the two charges of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Subsequent Offense and Sale or Transfer of a Firearm, Subsequent Offense. Judge Chin found Monteiro guilty and sentenced him to serve 5-7 years in State Prison on the charges.

Assistant District Attorneys Jennifer Sprague and Jessica Kenny prosecuted the case, which was investigated by State Police Detectives assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office and Brockton Police.

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June 15, 2016