Suspect in 2013 Jamaica Plain Slaying Back in Custody

JAMAICA PLAIN, MA - Police have arrested a man for the second time in the shooting death of Edward Villalona, almost three years to the day after Villalona was gunned down on Minden Street.

Yerri Perez was taken into custody in Dorchester Friday and once again charged with Villalona's murder.

Police say on Easter Sunday, 2013 Perez shot the 25-year-old Villalona outside of 104 Minden St. in Jamaica Plain. According to prosecutors, the two men - once friends - clashed the night of March 31, 2013 shortly before 8:30 p.m.

Perez, 21 at the time of the killing, was arrested months later and charged with murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition.

But as the trial was set to begin in late 2015, a key witness for the prosecution fled the country.

According to a motion filed by Suffolk Assistant District Attorney Joseph Janezic, between October and December of last year detectives made multiple attempts to locate Franklyn Ozuna, who flew to the Dominican Republic three days after police left a court summons for him with his mother.

Prosecutors requested a judge reschedule the trial while Ozuna was located but were unsatisfied with the new date, which was to be before family and friends of Ozuna estimated he would return to the country.

With the case in limbo prosecutors invoked nolle prosequi, which dismissed the charges against Perez. Under the motion charges are rendered null and must be re-filed if the prosecution chooses to move forward with the case a second time.

Following his arrest, Perez was arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court Friday.