Rhode Island man sentenced to prison in murder of Fall River native Joshua Costa

Attorney General Peter Neronha announced today that a Providence man has been sentenced in Providence County Superior Court to serve life in prison for the 2021 murder of Fall River native 31-year-old Joshua Costa. 

On Thursday, Superior Court Justice Kristin E. Rodgers sentenced 44-year-old Phillip Manners to two consecutive life sentences at the Adult Correctional Institutions, plus a 20-year sentence to be served concurrently with the first life sentence. 

On November 10, 2023, following the conclusion of a two-week trial, the jury found Manners guilty of one count of second-degree murder, one count of discharging a firearm while in the commission of a crime of violence with death resulting, one count of possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a crime of violence, and one count of possession of a firearm without a license.

“Keeping guns out of the hands of people with a violent criminal record is crucial to keeping our communities safe,” said Attorney General Neronha. “This defendant was previously convicted of a violent crime and was legally barred from having a firearm. That’s why our collective enforcement of commonsense gun laws is so important; it will save other families from such tragic outcomes in the future. I hope this life sentence provides some measure of closure for the Costa family, and I thank the Providence Police for their extraordinary work on this case and so many others.”

During the trial, the State proved that Manners shot and killed the victim following a dispute. 

On April 15, 2021, Manners and the victim met at a garage located on Harris Avenue in Providence. The following day at approximately 1:00 p.m., the two men again met at the garage, at which time the victim brandished a gun in front of Manners and took a bag belonging to him, the state argued contained narcotics, before fleeing. Manners then retrieved a gun out of his satchel, chased the victim into the garage’s office and fired several shots at the victim, killing him.

Surveillance footage from outside the garage depicted Manners leaving the building through the office door following the victim’s murder.

“I want to thank the men and women of the Providence Police Department and the Attorney General’s Office for their work in bringing this defendant to justice,” said Providence Police Colonel Oscar Perez. “When firearms are in the hands of violent criminals, tragedies such as this occur. We must continue to be vigilant in our efforts to remove firearms from our streets and remain committed to seeking justice on behalf of victims and their loved ones.”

Assistant Attorney General Robert Johnson IV and Special Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Burke of the Office of the Attorney General and Detective Sgt. Fabio Zuena, Detective Raymond Majeau, Detective Douglas Steele (retired), and Detective Ralph Costantino (retired) of the Providence Police Department led the investigation and prosecution of the case.