LITTLE COMPTON, R.I. (WPRI) — On the first night of October, 47-year-old Steven Velozo died in Little Compton, and one of his longtime friends tells 12 News he’s still wondering what happened that night.
“We’ve had no answers for five months,” Jim Gabus said. “Everybody misses him, you know what I mean?”
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Massachusetts released the autopsy report this week, which listed the cause of Velozo’s death as “mechanical asphyxia” and the manner of his death as homicide.
Velozo was hosting a going-away party at his home, according to Gabus.
He said Velozo was a friend he spoke to daily, traveled with frequently, and loved dearly.
“I’ve known him for 25 years. He was my best friend,” Gabus said.
“We did everything together, just about every day when he got out of work,” he added. “We went to the Bills-Patriots game every year in Buffalo. We had a great time, spend the weekend up there.”
The Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office confirmed it’s working with Little Compton police on the investigation. The police department declined to comment and has been unresponsive to 12 News’ questions about the incident and requests for the police report.
12 News obtained an email shared between town officials days after the homicide, which said first responders were at the scene only to “deal with the situation as it evolved.”
“I hope we’ll get some answers now, after all this is done,” Gabus said.
