PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Attorney General Peter F. Neronha today announced that a Providence man has been found guilty in Providence County Superior Court for the 2021 murder of 29-year-old Keshaudas Spence.
On Tuesday, following a month-long trial before Superior Court Justice Robert Krause, a jury found 31-year-old Karel Martinez-Scarlet guilty of one count of first-degree murder, one count of conspiracy to commit murder, one count of discharging a firearm while committing a crime of violence, and one count of carrying a pistol without a license.
“This tragedy is an example of what happens when firearms fall into the hands of those who are ready and willing to use them,” said Attorney General Neronha. “Behind every gun-related death is a family and a community that will forever mourn the loss of their loved one. Keshaudas’s life ended far too soon, and I hope this verdict provides his family some semblance of comfort. I thank the Pawtucket Police Department for their partnership in this difficult case and many others.”
During the trial, the State proved that in the early morning of June 26, 2021, the defendant was involved in a shooting that led to the murder of Spence on Winthrop Avenue in Pawtucket.
On that morning, following a 911 call, Pawtucket Police responded to Winthrop Avenue and located the victim in the passenger seat of a black Acura suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. Emergency personnel transported the victim to Rhode Island Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.
Through witness interviews and surveillance footage, investigators determined that a group of men, including both the victim and the defendant, arrived at a nearby apartment complex at approximately 2:00 a.m. after visiting multiple locations in Providence. Surveillance footage from the apartment complex later shows Martinez-Scarlet shooting in the direction of the black Acura where investigators found the victim shortly thereafter. Surveillance footage then shows the defendant getting in a different car and fleeing the scene.
After comparing and reviewing surveillance footage from multiple locations in Providence, investigators identified and arrested Martinez-Scarlet on August 6th, 2021. Following his arrest, the defendant admitted that he had discharged a firearm on the scene of the shooting. Investigators also confirmed through cellular forensics records that the defendant’s cell phone was present at the scene at the time of the shooting.
“Tragedies such as this one leave a lasting impact on our community,” said Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves. “This conviction sends a strong message that gun violence will not be tolerated. I commend the outstanding work by our officers and investigators, as well as our partners at the Attorney General’s Office.”
According to an obituary, “from 2011-2014, Keshaudas played at FCS ‘Sacred Heart University’ and finished as the programs Career Rushing Leader with 3,475 yards. His talents were so recognized that he trained with the NFL teams such as The Jacksonville Jaguars and The Washington Redskins. Shaudy went on to play with The Green Bay Blizzards and the Iowa Barnstormers. Shaudy’s talents were afforded an opportunity to try out with The Green Bay Packers.”
Assistant Attorney General Timothy Healy and Special Assistant Attorney General Alyse Antone Smyth of the Attorney General’s Office and Detective Sergeant Craig Letourneau of the Pawtucket Police Department led the investigation and prosecution of this case.
