4 recently indicted, 1 still wanted, concerning previously unsolved murder of Fall River’s Diamonte Odom

Four Fall River men have recently been indicted in connection to the previously unsolved May 13, 2023, homicide of 23-year-old Diamonte Odom in Fall River, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.

The indictments come as a result of a long-term grand jury investigation into the homicide conducted by Assistant District Attorney Tara Burdman, with the assistance of Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to DA Quinn’s office and Fall River Police detectives. The lead investigators in the case were Fall River Police Detective Luis Vertentes and Massachusetts State Police Detective Robert Twitchell of the state police detective unit assigned to DA Quinn’s office.

Tajon Saxon, 26, was recently indicted on charges of Murder, Carrying a Loaded Illegal Firearm, and Carrying an Illegal Firearm. This defendant, although now under indictment, remains at large and is the subject of an intensive manhunt at this time. Saxon is also wanted on a default warrant in connection to the May 2021 Fall River double-homicide of Jovaughn Mills and Miguel Sanjurjo where he is charged with two counts of Accessory to Murder-After the Fact. If anyone has any information about Saxon’s whereabouts, they are urged to call (855) MA-SOLVE (855-627-6583), email mspunresolved@pol.state.ma.us or take advantage of District Attorney Quinn’s anonymous text-a-tip program by texting the word “Bristol” to the phone number CRIMES (274637).

According to Massachusetts State Police, Saxon has close ties to the Fall River area, Rhode Island, and New York. He should be considered armed and dangerous. The firearm used in the May 13, 2023, homicide has not been recovered.

Quanif Johnson, 26, was recently indicted on charges of Murder, Carrying a Loaded Illegal Firearm, and Carrying an Illegal Firearm. As a result of the ongoing investigation into the Odom Homicide, Johnson has also been indicted on charges of Trafficking Cocaine, Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class B Drug, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Unlawful Possession of a Large Capacity Feeding Device, Unlawful Possession of a Machine Gun and Unlawful Possession of Ammunition. This defendant is currently in custody in Rhode Island on charges connected to another homicide case in that state. It is unclear when he will be brought to Massachusetts for arraignment on these indictments in Fall River Superior Court.

Dioni Tavarez-Leonirio, 25, was recently indicted on a charge of Accessory to Murder-After the Fact. This defendant was arraigned on this charge in Fall River Superior Court on December 22 and bail was set at $5,000 cash.

Devin Alves, 18, was also recently indicted in connection to the ongoing homicide investigation on charges of Trafficking Fentanyl, Trafficking Cocaine and two counts of Unlawful Possession of Ammunition. This defendant was arraigned Wednesday in Fall River Superior Court and held on $7,500 cash bail.

On May 13, 2023, just before 10:45 p.m., Fall River Police responded to multiple 911 calls regarding shots fired in the area of 275 County Street. Upon arrival, first responders located Odom suffering from a gunshot wound to his face. He was rushed to Rhode Island Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased during the early morning hours of May 14.

Due to the fact that the two defendants indicted for murder have yet to be arraigned in open court, no other details were released.