BROCKTON – A Fairhaven man has been indicted on charges that he shot and killed another man, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz has announced.
Today, a Plymouth County grand jury indicted Nicholas Botella, 33, on one count of Murder, two counts of Carrying a Firearm without a License, and one count each of Carrying a Loaded Firearm, Possession of Ammunition without a Firearm Identification Card, and Discharging a Firearm within 500 Feet of a Building.
At approximately 3:00 p.m. on June 30, Massachusetts State Police received reports of a shooting at a residence on Harbor Road HB in Mattapoisett. The victim, identified as 57-year-old James Rizza, was found severely injured on his driveway by Mattapoisett Police. He was transported to an area hospital with multiple gunshot wounds for treatment before he was pronounced dead at approximately 3:40 p.m.
A witness who called 911 reported that a man with a red motor vehicle was involved in the incident. Responding officers observed a red motor vehicle matching the description provided to dispatchers at a nearby intersection and attempted to conduct a
motor vehicle stop. The driver of the red sedan, later identified as Botella, refused to stop and led law enforcement on a motor vehicle pursuit that ended in Marion when the motor vehicle was boxed in by Mattapoisett Police cruisers. Botella was placed under arrest.
Investigators with Massachusetts State Police and local law enforcement discovered that a year prior, Botella had lived next door to Rizza and Bottella was aggressive towards Rizza during a dispute.
According to a GoFundMe fundraiser, Rizza “was a devoted husband, father, son, brother, uncle, and friend. He was the kind of person who never said no to someone he loved, always putting others before himself and making everyone around him feel cared for. His kindness, generosity, and unwavering love left a lasting impact on everyone fortunate enough to know him. Jimmy’s greatest joy in life was being a father to his daughters. He believed life was meant to be lived to the fullest, embracing every moment with gratitude, laughter, and an appreciation for the people he loved.”
Botella is scheduled to be arraigned in Brockton Superior Court, at a later date.
Assistant District Attorney James Duffy is prosecuting the case.
