After 24 Years, William Sanchez to Be Arraigned for First Degree Murder
Defendant fled the country prior to indictment in 1995 and was returned Friday
BOSTON, November 24, 2019 — Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins today announced that WILLIAM SANCHEZ, 46, of the Dominican Republic, will be arraigned tomorrow (11/25) on first degree murder charges in connection with the shooting death of Jorge Medina on October 8, 1995 outside of a home on Norwell Street in Dorchester.
“When a homicide occurs families are forever altered. Honoring the legacy of those whose lives were taken requires a relentless pursuit of justice,’’ said District Attorney Rollins. “Our office is committed to that mission and will be with the Medina family each step of this difficult process. There is no statute of limitations on murder. Whether a homicide happened decades or days ago, we are working tirelessly to solve them. All of them. And with the advances in science and the renewed commitment by my office and the Boston and State Police, we are making advances every day.
“I want to thank the US Department of Justice and the agencies involved in extraditing Mr. Sanchez back to Boston to face the charges that were filed against him in 1995. The work of the US Marshals was especially important, as was the work of Assistant District Attorney John Verner and Detective Jack Cronin of the Boston Police unsolved homicide unit.”
About 3:40 a.m. on the morning of Oct. 8, 1995, Boston Police officers responded to a radio call for person shot at 195 Norwell St. in Dorchester. Upon arrival, officers discovered Jorge Medina lying on his back in the front room of the house suffering from what appeared to be a bullet wound in his back. Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and transported the victim to Boston Medical Center. He was pronounced dead at 4:07 a.m., having been shot twice; once in the upper back and once in the right front pelvis.
An investigation revealed Mr. Medina had been serving as a bouncer for a house party at the address and that he had escorted Sanchez from the party. A few minutes after being ejected, Sanchez returned and fired at Medina and another person as Medina was attempting to return to the house. At the time of the murder, Sanchez, also known as Wilman Soto, had been living in Hyde Park.
The investigation found Sanchez fled the area hours after the shooting and went to New York City before returning to the Dominican Republic. An extradition treaty with the Dominican Republic was signed in 2015 and it took years to locate Mr. Sanchez and confirm his identity.
Sanchez’s arraignment will take place in the Magistrate’s Session of Suffolk Superior Court.
All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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.