The 19-year-old charged in the fatal stabbing of Fall River teen and UMass Dartmouth football player Marvins Antoine was in court Monday.
Chukuwnonso Uzoma-eze pleaded not guilty to a fugitive from justice charge in New Bedford District Court on Monday afternoon. He was ordered held without bail and waived his right to an extradition hearing. He is expected to be transported to Rhode Island later this week to face a murder charge. A status hearing is scheduled for September 28th.
A fundraiser and vigil have been organized after Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez announced charges Saturday afternoon after the Fall River teen was stabbed to death.
According to Providence Police, a stabbing occurred shortly after midnight in the parking lot of the Wendy’s on Charles Street following an altercation at Mezzo Lounge.
Two men sustained stab wounds. 18-year-old Marvins Antoine of Fall River suffered stab wounds to the chest. He was transported to Rhode Island Hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased. 19-year-old Kensley Macean of Dighton and a graduate of Dighton-Rehoboth High School sustained non-life-threatening injuries to the head, neck, and left arm. He was transported to Rhode Island Hospital for treatment. Both victims are football players at UMass Dartmouth.
Uzoma-eze is a UMass Dartmouth student but is not a member of the football team. Police said they identified him through witness interviews, surveillance video, and license plate readers after he left the area in a vehicle. He was arrested on the UMass Dartmouth campus Saturday morning and held over the weekend pending extradition to Rhode Island.
Chief Perez said the dispute began as an altercation involving a female and some of those in line at Mezzo Lounge, which police described as overcrowded with the doors closed. The fight then moved across the street to the Wendy’s parking lot at 391 Charles Street around 12:30 a.m. Authorities have said there was no indication the parties knew each other.
Antoine and Macean had been at the lounge with other members of the team after UMass Dartmouth’s Friday night home loss to Framingham State, 23-21. Antoine, a freshman running back who wore No. 26, had been a standout at Durfee and Atlantis Charter and was nominated last year for the Otto Graham Award.
A vigil organized by students was held on the UMass Dartmouth campus, where those gathered released balloons and chanted Antoine’s number. On Wednesday, September 23rd, UMass Dartmouth will hold their own Candlelight Vigil to honor Marvins at 5:15 p.m. on the Quad in front of the Claire T. Carney Library.
Chancellor Mark Fuller issued a statement of condolence and said counseling was available, adding there was no ongoing threat to campus.
Providence’s Board of Licenses ordered Mezzo Lounge closed for 72 hours after the incident.
Authorities believe the parties did not know each other.
A GoFundMe fundraiser has been created for funeral and other expenses. Over $28,000 has been raised as of this writing.
Providence Police detectives continue to work with the UMass Dartmouth Police Department and other law enforcement partners as the investigation moves forward.
