Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced today that Louis Pina, age 21, of Providence, pled guilty before Superior Court Justice Robert D. Krause to the December 4, 2013 murder of 16-year-old Eric Cuesta. Under the terms of the plea agreement, with was reached with the approval of the victim's family, Pina pled guilty to second degree murder, for which he was given a life sentence, and assault with a dangerous weapon, for which he was sentenced to 10 years to run concurrent.
Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prove that early in the afternoon on December 4, 2013, Cuesta and a friend were driving in a van travelling eastbound on Adelaide Street toward Broad Street. At the same time, Pina and a friend were walking westbound on Adelaide Street. The van, in which Cuesta was the passenger, stopped a short distance from Pina and his friend. The two groups exchanged words and looks, at which time Pina withdrew his firearm – a .40 caliber Taurus semi-automatic handgun – and fired two shots at the van. One bullet struck and killed Cuesta.
"Words and looks of disrespect left a young man dead and his family to grieve over his loss. This entire episode was one of senseless violence with tragic consequences," said Attorney General Peter Kilmartin.
Providence Police Detective Angelo Avant led the investigation. Assistant Attorney General J. Patrick Youngs and Special Assistant Attorney General Robert Johnson prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.