Man facing murder charges for double homicide in Fall River

crime

“The pitchfork was held in the air and held to his head,” police said.

A Fall River man faces murder charges in connection with the deaths of two men Wednesday night, after the victims were fatally beaten with cobblestones and one was found with a pitchfork to the back of his head, authorities said.

Vitor Francisco Gomez, 28, has been charged with two counts of double murder, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn announced in a news release.

Just before 9 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to 90 Aetna Street in Fall River after receiving reports of three shots fired. When officers arrived, they encountered an unresponsive man lying on the sidewalk between 90 and 104 Aetna Street, according to Quinn.

The man was not breathing, was covered in blood, and had suffered “visible trauma to his face,” according to a Fall River police incident report filed in court.

Police also indicated that a stone was found on the sidewalk about 20 feet away from the victim’s body.

Officers then discovered another man lying on the ground near the corner of 99 Aetna Street. He had a “pool of blood” under his arms and head and a metal pitchfork held to the back of his head, according to the report.

“The pitchfork was held in the air and held to his head,” police wrote.

Police added that authorities also found a stone near the body of the second victim that appeared to be stained with blood.

The two men — identified as 20-year-old Pablo Henrique Rocha da Silva of Whitman and 19-year-old Eduardo Cardoso da Silva of Fall River — were pronounced dead at the scene, Quinn said.

Police interviewed a witness, who told authorities they had been invited to an “informal boxing match” near 99 Aetna Street, according to the report.

During the match, Cardoso da Silva knocked out Gomez. While Gomez wanted to continue fighting, Cardoso da Silva wanted to stop, the witness said.

The witness told police that Cardoso da Silva then picked up a shovel that Gomez tried to grab.

The police report did not include any further information from the witness regarding the events that followed.

While officers were searching for a suspect, they encountered Gomez about a block away from the crime scene. He was covered in blood and carrying a black bag containing a gun and ammunition, according to court records.

Police said Gomez initially ignored officers’ commands and began running before he was arrested at 1146 Slade Street. While being taken into custody, Gomez shouted “I’m nervous,” court documents show.

A second witness told investigators he heard a commotion outside his apartment. The witness reported seeing Gomez fire a firearm three times into the driver’s side of a Honda Accord parked in front of 99 Aetna Street, according to the police report.

After searching the vehicle, police reported finding what appeared to be blood on the center console and seats. Officers also recovered a shovel from the area between the Honda Accord and the sidewalk, according to court documents.

The witness told police that after Gomez ran behind 99 Aetna Street, he heard additional gunshots, authorities said.

Gomez was arraigned Thursday in Fall River District Court, where he pleaded not guilty. He was ordered held without bail and is scheduled to return to court on July 14, records show.

Gomez also faces charges of unlawful carrying of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition. According to police, he does not have a Massachusetts firearms license or firearm identification card.

In court, defense attorney Kenneth D. Van Keulen said there were indications that Gomez acted in self-defense. Boston Globe I mentioned.

Van Keulen said Gomez and several friends were engaged in a light sparring, “not a real fight,” that escalated.

Van Keulen said that the two victims threatened Gomez, but he did not specify the reason behind these threats.

“They were threatening my client. They were threatening to kill my client, to kill my client’s family,” Van Keulen said. “This is something where two strangers came from out of the area; they came down with bad intentions on their part.”

Van Keulen added that Gomez is married with a young child and has no prior involvement with the criminal justice system.

The deaths remain under investigation by the Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office and the Fall River Police Department, authorities said.