3 shooting deaths, which police have characterized as gang-related, were followed by 2 homicides police say have no links to gang activity.
SPRINGFIELD – The shooting deaths of Raul E. Vera, Tyrel Wheeler and James Rosario Jr. were followed in a week by two additional homicides, neither of which police said had any links to gang activity in the city.
Eighty-one-year-old Doris Alzak was found dead during a house fire in her 100 Phillips Ave. home on Tuesday afternoon, and Paul Bagge, who was punched in the head later that same day during a dispute over a dog on East Street, died a day later.
Hampden District Attorney Mark Mastroianni confirmed Alzak’s death as a homicide on Thursday; no details of the crime were released, however.
Bagge died Wednesday at Baystate Medical Center, and his alleged assailant, Guy Wilson, 52, of 168 East St. has been arrested and is expected to be charged with murder.
William Fitchet“Our investigators are working very hard to bring these cases to a conclusion,” Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet said on Friday. “We are working very closely with the district attorney’s office.” He said his detectives are also collaborating with the State Police anti-gang task force in the investigation of the three shooting deaths.
Fitchet asked those with any information on any of the homicides to call the detective bureau at (413) 787-6355.
Those wishing to report anonymously may use the Text-a-Tip program. To do so, address a text message to “CRIMES,” or “274637,” and begin the body of the message with the word “SOLVE.”