Select by gender or name

Murder of Leonardo Tavares

On May 15th, 2021, at the age of 20, Jahcolin Rodrigues participated in a drive-by shooting in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

As 20-year-old Leonardo Tavares was inside his vehicle, Rodrigues fired shots from a moving car and hit him multiple times.

Tavares was rushed to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Three weeks after the crime, authorities arrested Rodrigues and 30-year-old Todd Alicea and charged both of them with murder.

Authorities said the shooting was the result of a gang feud.

Legal Proceedings

Rodrigues elected not to go to trial, and in August 2024, he pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle.

He returned to court on September 9th, 2025, for his sentencing hearing.

Members of the victim’s family spoke, including his cousin, who recalled how Tavares would “talk her ear off for hours” when he first moved to Rhode Island.

She also said, “This death has been the hardest I have ever been through.”

Rodrigues addressed the court and spoke of his regret, saying, “I wish this never happened, if I could go back and change the hands of time, I would.”

Rodrigues was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole for the murder, plus a consecutive 20 years for discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle.

The judge encouraged him to work on himself while incarcerated, saying, “It’s up to you to make some good out of this horrible tragedy.”

Todd Alicea’s Case

After years of delays, Alicea’s case was resolved in 2025 when WPRI reported that he pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and felony conspiracy. He was sentenced to 65 years in prison with 25 years suspended.