DA reveals possible motive in Cherry St. murder

FALL RIVER, Mass. (WPRI) - The Bristol County District Attorney's Office announced Friday it has officially filed charges against a man in the murder of a woman found shot to death in her car.

Bristol County District Attorney Sam Sutter, Fall River Mayor Will Flanagan and Fall River Police Chief Daniel Racine Friday morning announced murder and armed robbery charges against Brandyn LePage, 20, in the shooting death of Aja Pascual, 31.

"We will allege in this case that Mr. LePage met with Ms. Pascual inside her vehicle on Cherry Street to conduct a drug transaction. At some point during that transaction, we allege Mr. LePage shot Ms. Pascual at close range and robbed her," Sutter said.

Police were called to Cherry St. Sept. 29 for reports of shots fired, and found Pascual slumped against the window of her car, shot to death.

During Friday's news conference, Sutter revealed some of the evidence collected in the case, including phone records he said showed LePage had called Pascual numerous times before the shooting.

“The message here is, listening to the statistics of the DA’s office and seeing firsthand the hard work from our police department, if you commit a crime in the city of Fall River, we will catch you. We will arrest you, we will charge you and we will bring you before the courts of this commonwealth,” said Mayor Flanagan.

While executing search warrants, Sutter said investigators found a .38 caliber handgun, which had one round fired from the chamber. Sutter said DNA collected from the gun matched a DNA sample taken from LePage. Investigators also seized blood-spattered clothing.

At that point, police arrested LePage on weapons and obstruction of justice charges. While he was held on $50,000 cash bail, police continued their investigation.

LePage is due to be arraigned on the latest charges Thursday, Dec. 6 in Fall River District Court.