An 18-year-old from Chelsea has been formally charged with murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 25-year-old man, an incident authorities allege involved a group of individuals chasing down the victim.
Sergio Josue Castellanos Cerrato was arraigned on March 20 in Chelsea District Court, where he entered a not guilty plea. He stands accused of being part of a group that reportedly pursued and fatally attacked Eduardo Alfredo Rosales Lopez of Chelsea.
Details Emerge from the Violent Encounter
Chelsea police were dispatched to the vicinity of Chestnut Street and Everett Avenue just before 7 p.m. on March 19, following reports of a stabbing. Upon their arrival, officers discovered multiple victims requiring medical attention.
Photo: boston.com
All injured parties were transported to area hospitals. Tragically, Lopez succumbed to his life-threatening injuries at the hospital. Further details of the incident were later pieced together using city surveillance footage and investigative efforts.
Video Footage Captures Pursuit and Attack
Security camera footage from the city reportedly showed Lopez and another man walking near Everett Avenue when they encountered Castellanos Cerrato and four other men. Following this interaction, the group allegedly began to chase Lopez and his companion down the street, at which point the two victims separated.
As Lopez fled down Everett, he dropped his backpack, which was then reportedly retrieved by one of the men in the pursuing group. The group subsequently caught up to Lopez, leading to a violent altercation involving him, Castellanos Cerrato, and another individual from the group. Officials stated the fight lasted approximately 15 seconds, during which Castellanos Cerrato was allegedly seen repeatedly stabbing Lopez, causing him to fall to the ground. The assailants then reportedly fled the scene, while Lopez managed to walk away, leaving a trail of blood.
Investigation Leads to Arrest and Evidence Recovery
Shortly after locating Lopez, Chelsea police quickly tracked down Castellanos Cerrato and three of the four other men believed to be involved. Castellanos Cerrato was found with a cut to his leg and was also transported to the hospital, while the other three individuals were brought to the Chelsea Police Department for questioning.
By the time police apprehended Castellanos Cerrato, he had reportedly changed his clothing. However, investigators discovered his blood-stained apparel nearby, along with a blood-stained knife, a black machete, and Lopez’s backpack.
Castellanos Cerrato is currently being held without bail and is scheduled to reappear in court on April 21. As of now, no additional information regarding the other suspects or a potential motive for the attack has been publicly released.
Chelsea police are urging anyone with information related to this incident to contact them at 617-466-4800, utilize their tip line at 617-466-4880, or submit an anonymous tip through their website and social media channels.
