Suspect Arrested on Murder Charge Connected to Saturday Night Homicide in Dartmouth

Bristol County District Attorney’s Office

Thomas M. Quinn III

District Attorney​

Press Release

December 27, 2018

A suspect wanted in connection with the Saturday night homicide of 37-year-old Joseph Tavares was arrested this evening and will be arraigned in New Bedford District Court tomorrow morning.

Robert A. Rose, Jr., 48, of New Bedford, was charged this evening with murder and misleading police. The arrest occurred at the Dartmouth Police Station after a follow up interview with the defendant.

At around 10:34 p.m. on December 22, Dartmouth Police received a 911 call from the night manager at the Regency Hotel on Faunce Corner Road.  The night manager reported to police that a man was bleeding heavily inside a car in the hotel’s rear parking lot.

When first responders arrived minutes later, they found the victim, 37-year-old Joseph Tavares of Fall River, sitting unresponsive in the driver’s seat of the vehicle.  Mr. Tavares was suffering from apparent gunshot wounds and was rushed to St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford, where he was pronounced dead at 11:07 pm.

The night manager at the hotel told police he was alerted to the vehicle after a hotel guest said they heard loud thuds and breaking glass coming from the rear parking lot.  

​Further information on the facts of the case cannot be disseminated until the defendant is arraigned in open court tomorrow morning.

Contact:

Gregg Miliote

Director of Communications

508-997-0711

774-292-9576–cell​