Man Accused in Store Clerk’s Murder Arraigned

BOSTON, August 24, 2020— Two days after convenience store clerk Tanjim Siam died of a gunshot wound suffered in a July 14, 2020, armed robbery, the man charged with his murder was ordered held without bail, District Attorney Rachael Rollins said.

STEPHON SAMUEL, 25, of Lynn, was arraigned during a court proceeding conducted virtually today in the Roxbury Division of the Boston Municipal Court on charges of murder, armed robbery with a firearm, armed assault to murder, unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition.  He was also charged as a Level 1 Armed Career Criminal based on a 2016 conviction for a drug distribution offense.  At the request of Second Assistant District Attorney Masai King, Judge Kenneth Fiandaca ordered Samuel held without bail while the case is pending.

Siam, age 24, was working as a clerk at M&R Convenience Store on Shawmut Avenue in Roxbury shortly after 9:00 p.m. on July 14.  Samuel entered the store and pretended to be interested in making a purchase, but instead produced a firearm and robbed the store.  Despite the fact that the victim turned over the contents of the cash register and other items, Samuel allegedly forced Siam into another area of the store at gun point and shot him at close range.  Samuel then fled the store.  The armed robbery and shooting were captured by the store’s video surveillance system. Siam succumbed to his injuries on August 22.

According to prosecutors, finger prints at the scene of the shooting were individualized to Samuel.  Samuel was arrested following an attempted armed robbery that occurred July 22, 2020, in Brockton.  The firearm allegedly used in that incident was matched to ballistics evidence located where Siam was shot, prosecutors said.

“This was a shameful and cowardly act of violence against a man who did nothing but comply with his killer’s demands.  My Office will hold this individual accountable for taking Mr. Siam’s life and for the harm and trauma that he has inflicted on Mr. Siam’s family and the community around this store,” District Attorney Rollins said.  “My staff has been in close contact with the family and I have personally spoken with them.  They are devastated.  Siam came here for a better life and his life was violently stolen. We are working to provide this family, and all of our other survivors of homicide, with the resources and assistance that they need during this terrible time.”

Elise McConnell is the assigned Victim Witness Advocate.  Samuel was represented by James Caramonica.  He returns to court October 14, 2020.

All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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.