DA's office: Second suspect in 2023 Fall River fatal shooting arrested in Conn.

FALL RIVER — A second arrest was made Thursday in connection to the December 2023 shooting death of Juan Manuel Batista in Fall River, the Bristol County District Attorney's Office announced.

Connecticut resident Lee George Maldonado, 28, was taken into custody in Willimantic, Connecticut, a week after being indicted by a Bristol County grand jury.

Maldonado faces charges of murder, carrying an illegal firearm, armed kidnapping, conspiracy to violate the drug laws, attempt to commit a crime and two counts of attempted assault and battery by means of a firearm.

He will be arraigned in Connecticut as a fugitive from justice.

"If he waives rendition at that arraignment, he would likely be returned soon to Massachusetts for arraignment in Fall River District Court on the murder and firearm charges. If he refuses to waive rendition, the process for having him returned to Massachusetts to face our charges would take longer," reads a press release from the DA's office.

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Maldonado's co-defendant, 22-year-old Angel Fabian Robles-Nicasio is currently being held without bail. He was arrested in January on charges of murder, carrying an illegal firearm, and conspiracy to traffic cocaine.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred Dec. 23, 2023, when Batista was fatally shot at 326 Bank St. in Fall River at around 5 p.m., the DA states.

When Fall River first responders arrived on scene they found 44-year-old Batista on the porch suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Fugitive tied to 2023 Fall River shooting death arrested in Conn.