22-year-old Fall River man convicted of murdering 35-year-old, injuring 28-year-old in shooting

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Attorney General Peter Neronha announced today that a Fall River man has been found guilty in Providence County Superior Court of the murder of 35-year-old Biniam Tsegai and the shooting of 28-year-old Merhawi Berhe in 2022.

On Tuesday, following the conclusion of a 10-day trial before Superior Court Justice Robert D. Krause, a jury found 22-year-old Je’avonie Dorvil guilty of one count of second-degree murder, two counts of discharging a firearm while committing a crime of violence, once count of assault with a dangerous weapon resulting in serious bodily injury, one count of carrying a pistol without a license, and one count of possession of a stolen firearm.

The defendant is currently being held without bail pending a sentencing hearing to be scheduled at a later date.

“What started as a petty argument in the street ended in a senseless act of gun violence that took the life of one victim and forever changed the life of another,” said Attorney General Neronha. “I hope this conviction provides the victims and their families some measure of peace, and I hope it deters others from committing similar acts of violence. Finally, I want to thank the attorneys in my Office and the Providence Police Department, as well as our law enforcement partners in Massachusetts, for their hard work on this difficult case.”

During the trial, the State proved that on January 16, 2022, Dorvil shot and killed Biniam Tsegai, and shot and injured Merhawi Berhe, at the intersection of Elwood Avenue and Potters Avenue in Providence.

On January 16, 2022, at approximately 2:54 a.m., Providence Police responded to the intersection of Elmwood Avenue and Potters Avenue in Providence. Upon their arrival, police found Tsegai on the ground and Berhe inside of a car, both suffering from several gunshot wounds. Emergency personnel transported both victims to Rhode Island Hospital, where Tsegai was pronounced deceased at 3:20 a.m.

At the scene, investigators found eight .380 shell casings. Additionally, police obtained video surveillance footage from several locations near the intersection, which showed two groups of males – one including Dorvil, the other including the two victims – crossing paths near the intersection. After a verbal exchange, the defendant is seen removing a firearm from his waistband and firing multiple times at the two victims before fleeing the scene.

Additionally, Providence Police sent screenshots of the subjects in the video to the Boston Regional Intelligence Center. Subsequently, BRIC circulated the images to law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts. Police then began to receive information from several agencies, including the Fall River Police Department, the Boston Police Department, and the Massachusetts State Police, which allowed them to identify Dorvil and arrest him on January 26, 2022.

On June 2, 2022, Rhode Island State Police seized a firearm found by Department of Transportation workers during maintenance work on Route 95 North. A NIBIN lead indicated that the firearm matched the .380 shell casings recovered from the scene. A subsequent check revealed the firearm had been previously stolen out of Derry, New Hampshire.

“Removing firearms from our streets and out of the hands of violent criminals is a top priority of the Providence Police Department,” said Providence Police Colonel Oscar L. Perez Jr. “I hope that this verdict allows the victims’ families some closure. I commend the outstanding work by our officers and investigators, as well as our partners at the Attorney General’s Office.”

Assistant Attorney General Jim Baum and Special Assistant Attorney General Gregory Moore of the Attorney General’s Office and Detective Ray Majeau of the Providence Police Department led the investigation and prosecution of the case.