Mansfield and Fall River Murder Defendants Indicted and Arraigned in Superior Court
Bristol County District Attorney’s Office
Thomas M. Quinn III
District Attorney
Press Release
September 8, 2023
Two recently indicted murder defendants for separate homicides which occurred this May in Mansfield and Fall River were both arraigned this week in Fall River Superior Court and ordered held without bail, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.
William O’Brien, 22, formerly of Manchester-By-The-Sea, was indicted by a Bristol County Grand Jury on August 17th on charges of Murder, Possession of a Large Capacity Firearm and Unlawful Possession of Ammunition.
On May 20, 2023, the Southeastern Massachusetts Regional Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call Saturday at 11:11 am reporting a shooting at 42 West Church Street. When first responders arrived on scene, they located Samuel P. Waters, 23, of Mansfield, who was already deceased.
The defendant was arrested shortly after police arrived on scene. On Tuesday of this week, he was formally arraigned on the new indictments in Fall River Superior Court. He is due back in court for a pretrial hearing on November 1. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Patrick Driscoll.
Separately, Angelo Leo, 33, of Fall River, was indicted by a Bristol County Grand Jury on August 31 on charges of Murder, Carrying an Illegal Firearm, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Malicious Damage to a Motor Vehicle and two counts of Violating an Abuse Prevention Order.
On May 29, 2023 Fall River Police responded to the Globe Car Wash on Broadway after receiving a 911 call at 12:36 pm regarding a potential shooting.
When first responders arrived on scene, they found the victim, Jessenia Simmons, 45, of New Bedford, already deceased in one of the car wash bays.
The defendant initially fled from the scene of the shooting in a vehicle but turned himself in to police in Tiverton, RI about a half-hour later.
He was arraigned on the new indictments this morning in Fall River Superior Court and is due back in court for a pretrial hearing on October 24. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Gilian Kirsch and Kaitlyn O’Leary.
Contact:
Gregg Miliote
Director of Communications
774-292-9576