BROCKTON – Two people were found guilty today in Brockton Superior Court on charges related to the murder of a 24-year-old in 2022, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz has announced.
37-year-old Brendan Fernandes of Brockton, was found guilty of First-Degree Murder, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, and Unlawful Possession of Ammunition without a Firearm Identification Card.
30-year-old Destiny Fontes-Silie of Warwick, Rhode Island, was found guilty of one count of Accessory After the Fact to Murder.
Both defendants are scheduled to appear in court on October 8th for a sentencing hearing related to today’s verdicts.
On the afternoon of March 15, 2022, Brockton Police received multiple 911 calls reporting a shooting in the vicinity of 401 East Street. Upon arrival, first responders located a male victim suffering from a single gunshot wound to the chest. The victim, later identified as Brima Koroma, was transported to Brockton Hospital where he died as a result of his injuries.
According to NBC 10 Boston, door-to-door solar salesperson Koroma knocked on a home on Carrie Ann Drive and was directed to Fernandes, who was working on a vehicle across the street. Witnesses said Fernandes yelled at Koroma, threatened to kill him, and told him, “This is my turf, bro, this is my hood.” Koroma walked away toward East Street, and prosecutors said Fernandes followed him in a vehicle. A witness said Fernandes then got out with a gun; Koroma put his hands up and said, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” before he was shot. Another witness said Koroma was holding up his phone as if recording, and that after the shooting Fernandes bent over and took the phone.
Brockton Police contacted the Massachusetts State Police Unit assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office and began the investigation. As a result of the investigation, detectives sought and obtained arrest warrants for Fernandes and Fontes-Silie. The pair were apprehended by Virginia State Police the next day in Chesterfield, Virginia.
According to a GoFundMe fundraiser, Koroma “was a light in the lives of so many….Every person he encountered was touched by his gentle and positive spirit.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Jeremy Beth Kusmin and Samantha Mullin and was investigated by Massachusetts State Police and Brockton Police.
