Boston man arraigned on murder charge from Saturday shooting

BOSTON, March 7, 2023 —A Boston man is being held without bail today after being charged in Roxbury BMC with the Saturday afternoon shooting death of a man on Weaver Way in Roxbury, District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.

AUSTIN DILLON, 36, was charged with murder and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, third offense.  Judge David Poole ordered Dillon held without bail.  Dillon will return to court April 14 for a probable cause hearing.

Dillon is charged with murdering Jose Despeignes, 56.

Assistant District Attorney John Verner said that at about 3:31 on Saturday Boston police responded to a call for a person shot at a residencce on Weaver Way in Roxbury.  Officers found Despeignes on the third floor suffering from a gunshot wound.  Despeignes was pronounced dead at the scene.

A witness told police they were in the residence Saturday afternoon when two men entered through the front door.  The witness said one of the men was known to them as 2G.  The witness did not recognize the second man.  The witness said 2G asked for some marijuana and also asked to take a shower.  While the two men and the witness were talking, Despeignes walked down from an upper floor of the residence and handed 2G a “blunt” of marijuana.

The witness said they went upstairs to clean the bathroom.  The witness said 2G came up the stairs while the witness was cleaning the bathroom.  The witness said they heard a “pop,” which the witness believed to be a gunshot.  The witness looked in an adjacent bedroom and observed Despeignes lying on the floor.  The witness then ran after 2G and asked why he shot Despeignes.  2G said that he had seen Despeignes leaving his girlfriend’s house the night before.

Further investigation, including video evidence from outside the residence, determined 2G to be Austin Dillon.  Dillon was arrested Monday night.  The second man is being sought.

“This is a combination of excellent investigative work and solid information from someone with crucial knowledge from the scene.  We often say how important it is to get information from members of the community when trying to solve crimes, and this case provides a prime example of what we’re referring to,” Hayden said. 

James Borghesani,, Chief of Communications