Pitchfork, Gun, and Cobblestone: Brutal Double Killing Rocks Fall River Neighborhood

A Fall River man was ordered held without bail today in the gruesome double murder of two young acquaintances at his home on Aetna Street Wednesday evening after reportedly meeting up for an impromptu street boxing match.

Vitor Francisco Gomes, 28, of 90 Aetna Street, is charged with two counts of murder for allegedly shooting both victims, bludgeoning one with a piece of granite and the other with a pitchfork to the back of his head during the alleged attack sometime after 8 p.m.

The victims are identified as 20-year-old Pablo Henrique Rocha-DaSilva, of Whitman and 19-year-old Eduardo Cardosa DaSilva, of Fall River, according to the district attorney’s office.

More than a dozen of the victims’ family and friends attended Gomes’ arraignment in Fall River District Court. Before the proceeding, hysterical screams could be heard in a meeting room outside the courtroom where they gathered with Bristol County Assistant District Attorney Dennis Collins.

It is unclear if the two victims are related. In a press conference held after the arraignment with Bristol County District Attorney, Mayor Paul Coogan and acting Fall River Police Chief JT Hoar, they declined to confirm the two victims’ relationship, citing the investigation into the murders was still under investigation.

District Court Judge Kevin J. Finnerty ordered Gomes held and set a probable cause hearing for July 14.

Disturbing details of the crimes emerge in court

Most of the attacks were caught on video surveillance cameras, Assistant District Attorney Dennis Collins told the judge.

According to Collins, on Wednesday night Gomes had allegedly had an argument with Eduardo DaSilva.

“The argument escalated and Mr. Gomes went and got a gun,” said Collins. “He returns to the street from his own home.”

Collins said at this point, Pablo DaSilva and Eduardo DaSilva were in a vehicle attempting to drive away.

Gomes allegedly drew a weapon from his rear waistband, reportedly shot three times through an open window, striking Pablo DaSivla.

Collins said Eduardo DaSilva fled behind a building at 99 Aetna Street.

“The defendant followed and other shots were heard, at least two,” said Collins.

Eduardo DaSilva was later found in the rear of 99 Aetna Street face down with bullet wounds and “had also been struck with a pitchfork impaled in the back of his head,” said Collins.

Gomes then went to the vehicle, pulled Pablo DaSilva from the driver’s seat, dragged him by the collar across the street to the sidewalk, hitting him with the firearm until he appeared unconscious.

Collins said Gomes then went to his driveway, picked up a cobblestone and repeatedly struck him in the head.

About 15 minutes after the attack, Fall River police arrested Gomes a few streets away on Vale Street with bloody clothes, a backpack and firearm.

Defense argues possible self-defense

Defense Attorney Ken Van Colen described Gomes as a working husband and father who has no real criminal background.

The defense attorney indicated that the three met up for an “informal sparring” match, “not a real fight, nothing like that.”

Van Colen said the victims came from Whitman, and the situation “escalates.”

“These people were threatening my client, they were going to kill my client and his family,” said Van Colen. “This is not in his nature, this kind of event.”

DA: “As usual, its senseless violence”

“It’s brutality like I’ve never seen before,” said Quinn, calling the event concerning to public safety.

He said this was just the beginning of the case, but as far as the assertion that it was self-defense, “we’ll see how that materializes.,” and calling it a brutal murder.

“It involved a firearm as I said, but I’ve never heard of a pitchfork in the back of someone’s head and the use of a cobblestone to inflict serious head injuries to at least one of the victims,” said Quinn.

Hoping the crime was a “one off,” Coogan called the crimes a tragedy for all the families involved, the neighbors and for the city.

“These kind of things can happen anywhere. Unfortunately, it happened here and it’s, as the district attorney explained, something I’ve never heard of, and I hope I never hear it again,” said Coogan.