Boston man arraigned on 2nd-degree murder charge in August South End shooting death

BOSTON, December 15, 2022 — A Boston man was arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court today on charges that he shot and killed 28-year-old Dion Ruiz in the South End last August, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.

ALEXANDER NUNEZ, 24, is charged with second-degree murder.  Clerk Magistrate Stacey Pichardo ordered Nunez held without bail. Nunez will return to court January 5. Nunez was indicted by a Grand Jury yesterday and turned himself in on a warrant earlier today.

Assistant District Attorney William Kettlewell said that on August 13, Boston police responded to a ShotSpotter activation and call for a person shot on West Dedham Street.  There they found Ruiz unresponsive, with two gunshot wounds.  Ruiz was transported to Boston Medical Center and pronounced dead.

Further investigation determined that Nunez had attended a birthday party on West Dedham Street on the evening of August 13.  He left the party and drove his car to the point where West Dedham Street intersects with the Villa Victoria housing complex.  Nunez then left the idling car and walked into the Villa Victoria parking lot. As he was returning to his car, Dion Ruiz ran from the complex’s entry area holding a pistol.  As Ruiz passed Nunez, Nunez reached into his fanny pack, withdrew a 9mm pistol and fired five rounds, two into Ruiz’s back.  Ruiz did not fire his gun. 

James Borghesani, Chief of Communications