Man Held Without Bail in July 2 Homicide
DA Rollins: “Acts of violence have no place in Suffolk County”
BOSTON, July 3, 2020— The man charged with murdering Justin Cannady in Mattapan yesterday was ordered held without bail at his arraignment this morning.
RAFAEL SANTOS SANTIAGO, 35, was arraigned today in the Dorchester Division of Boston Municipal Court for murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition. At the request of Assistant District Attorney John Verner, Judge James Coffey ordered Santiago held without bail while the case is pending.
According to prosecutors, Santiago approached Cannady, 22, and a second man in the area of Columbia Road yesterday and accused the men of stealing a scooter from a relative of Santiago. A verbal altercation ensued, after which Santiago went to retrieve a firearm. Santiago then went to a Hosmer Street address to confront the men once again. He is captured on video brandishing what appears to be a firearm during the altercation. He allegedly pursued the victims to the area of Norfolk and Woolson streets and fired his weapon, killing Cannady.
Boston Police officers encountered Santiago in the area of the shooting and were able to take him in to custody.
Cannady’s murder came amid an uptick of violence in the City of Boston. In the same 24-hour period, two other individuals were killed in separate shootings. A 15-year-old was killed and two other victims suffered non-life threatening injuries in a shooting on Mt. Pleasant Avenue in Roxbury; the victim’s name is not being released at this time. Also yesterday, at approximately 12:19 a.m., Rashawn Washington-Clark, 45, was shot inside his vehicle in the area of Norfolk Street and Peacevale Road in Dorchester. He was able drive to the intersection of Armadine Street and Milton Avenue but succumbed to his wounds.
“The violence that this city saw yesterday ripped away the lives of three individuals and inflicted immeasurable trauma and harm on the communities that experience gun violence. My Office is here to provide services and resources to the families who lost their loved ones yesterday, to the victims who survived their injuries in these terrible acts, and to the communities that have been impacted,” District Attorney Rollins said. “This weekend, families and communities will gather to celebrate our nation and its commitment to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We must not allow violence to threaten the values that we strive to achieve or the lives of loved ones and neighbors we cherish. Acts of violence have no place in Suffolk County, and my Office will work diligently with our partners in law enforcement and the community to hold accountable those who would take a life and scar the lives of so many others in our community.”
Santiago returns to court July 29, 2020. The investigations continue into these homicides.
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.