Details released as Brockton man pleads not guilty in murder of Fall River’s Edmar Goncalves

BROCKTON – A man is being held without bail after he was arraigned on charges that he fatally stabbed a man in a Brockton park, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz has announced. 

36-year-old Johnny Richmond of Brockton pleaded not guilty today in Brockton District Court to one count of Murder. Richmond was held without bail, at the Commonwealth’s request. 

On Saturday, at approximately 6:13 p.m., Brockton Police received several 911 calls for a report of a stabbing that had occurred in the park located at the intersection of Crescent and Montello Streets. Upon arrival, Brockton police officers located a male victim, and he was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital where he was pronounced dead of his injuries. He has been identified as 39-year-old Edmar Goncalves of Fall River. 

Brockton Police conducted witness interviews on scene and determined the stabbing suspect to be Richmond. He was arrested a short time later in the vicinity of the stabbing. Richmond had a laceration to his hand and was transported to South Shore Hospital for treatment. 

Brockton Police contacted Massachusetts State Police troopers assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office to begin the investigation which is ongoing.

Preliminarily, according to Cruz, it appears that Richmond was threatening several people at the park with a pocketknife that evening, and Goncalves approached Richmond to intervene before Richmond stabbed the victim. Richmond is due back in court on August 20 for a probable cause hearing.