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MSP Most Wanted fugitive sought in connection to Lowell murder captured in Fall River

BOSTON — A man on the Massachusetts State Police’s Most Wanted list has been captured in Fall River, officials said on Tuesday evening.

Xavier DeJesus, 20, of Lowell was being sought in connection to the murder of 23-year-old Deija Mendez, who was shot and killed on June 23 while trying to buy a car in a private sale.


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“Deija was loving, she was happy,” said Carmen Nieves, Deija’s mother. “I’m never gonna have a grandkid from her. So it’s hard.”

Mendez was found shot to death in the front seat of a Chevy Tahoe on Coral Street. Investigators believe there was a dispute over a car before they say DeJesus shot Deija in the head as she sat in the seat of her rented car.

According to Nieves, Deija, who lived in Mattapan with her mother, had gone to Lowell with a friend to buy his BMW, which was in the possession of his ex-girlfriend, DeJesus’ current girlfriend.

A warrant for DeJesus’ arrest was issued and Mendez’s family even offered a $3,500 reward for any information that could’ve led to his arrest.

In early July, DeJesus’ name was added to the Most Wanted list, along with Witchael Normil and Derrell D. Guy, who was also arrested on Tuesday.

DeJesus is facing charges of murder, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling, carrying a firearm without a license and possession of ammunition without an FID card in connection with the fatal shooting, but other charges may be added.

On the same day authorities nabbed her daughter’s suspected killer, Nieves had picked up her daughter’s ashes before learning DeJesus had been apprehended.

“It was a little bittersweet because I picked her up today and picking her up and not having the answers it was tough for me until I got the phone call,” said Nieves.

Nieves has been fighting for justice for her daughter since the day she was murdered on Coral Street in Lowell.

Now, she says she’s thankful DeJesus is behind bars, but says that won’t bring her daughter back.

“I’ll never see her, [but] his family can go to jail and visit him,” said Nieves. “At least they have some type of communication. They still have him and I don’t have my daughter.”

Corey Roy, 20, of Lowell, was also arrested in connection to Mendez’s murder as an accessory after the fact. The Middlesex DA’s office says Roy is accused of helping DeJesus evade police following the murder.

He is expected to be arraigned on Wednesday at Lowell District Court.



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