Murder Charge Dropped, Bail Set for Milford Man

A Milford man will no longer face a murder charge in a Blackstone shooting that left a Milford man dead.

Brendan Bates, 25, had the charge dropped by a grand jury, but still faces charges for misleading a criminal investigation, carrying a firearm without a license and carrying ammunition without an FID card, according to the Milford Daily News. Bail was set at $20,000 cash during his arraignment in Worcester Superior Court Tuesday.

Bates’ half-brother, William Hodges, still faces a murder charge. In November, Hodges and Bates were arrested after police received a report of a shooting in Blackstone. According to investigators, Hodges and Bates drove Kevin Gonsalves to a home under the guise of robbing a drug dealer. The two suspects got out of the car, and Hodges allegedly shot Gonsalves in the head and chest.

Hodges is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday.