Somerville Man Attacked Elderly Woman For Heroin Money: Police

QUINCY, MA — A Somerville man charged with assaulting and robbing a 92-year-old Quincy woman was ordered held without bail Monday morning. He and a Quincy woman are accused of robbing the woman for heroin money.

Markell Cruz, 27, of Somerville, and Kayla Noel-Brown, 26, of Quincy, were arraigned in Quincy District Court Monday morning on assault and robbery charges. Noel-Brown was ordered held on $2,500 cash bail while Cruz is being held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing.

The Norfolk County District Attorney’s office requested $25,000 cash bail for both suspects.

The two are accused of attacking an elderly woman as she was returning home from the Wollaston CVS on Beal Street. As the details of the police report were read in court, Noel-Brown held her head down, as her hair hid her emotions during the arraignment.

On Nov. 19 at about 8 a.m., Quincy officers responded to a report of a robbery. The victim told police she was walking home from the pharmacy after picking up a Boston Globe newspaper when she was knocked down and her purse stolen. Another call from nearby Old Colony Avenue reported a man carrying a purse and running away.

Surveillance video from CVS and the nearby Enterprise Rent-a-Car show the two suspects walking past the victim before turning around. Cruz then allegedly threw the woman’s walker to the side, took the purse and ran toward Old Colony Avenue. Noel-Brown returned to the scene to help the woman back to her apartment, according to the DA’s office and surveillance footage from the lobby of the victim’s apartment.

Police were able to identify Cruz and Noel-Brown thanks to numerous tips, including one from Cruz’s mother, who confirmed that her son and son’s girlfriend were involved, according to the DA's office. The two were arrested Saturday after State Trooper Joseph Gray found them while on patrol on Massachusetts Avenue in Boston.

Following the arrest, the two allegedly admitted they committed the crime, telling investigators they robbed the woman because they were in the area looking for heroin but had no money.

After the arraignment, Noel-Brown's father Bill Brown said Cruz is controlling Noel-Brown with drugs and he hopes she gets treatment.

Noel-Brown is due back in court Dec. 22, and Cruz’s dangerousness hearing is set for Nov. 30.

Story by Dan Libon (Patch Staff)

Image via Shutterstock