Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that a Providence County Superior Court jury found Chaquiro Blandino (age 21), with a last known address of 150 Stamford Avenue, Providence, guilty of all charges in the drive-by shooting murder of Francis Rodriguez. Blandino was found guilty of first degree murder, discharge of a firearm while committing a crime of violence resulting in death, assault with a dangerous weapon, discharge of a firearm while committing a crime of violence (assault), discharge of a firearm from a motor vehicle creating a risk of death, and carrying a firearm without a license.
The jury returned the guilty verdict in three hours after an eight-day trial presided over by Superior Court Justice Robert D. Krause.
During the course of the trial, the State proved beyond a reasonable doubt that at approximately 8:15 p.m. on May 2, 2014 near the intersection of Warrington Street and Elmwood Avenue, Blandino fired a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson pistol several times into the vehicle driven by Rodriguez, striking and killing Rodriguez. The passenger, Marvin Vasquez, was not injured.
A witness to the shooting provided the license plate and a description of the motor vehicle that was seen leaving the scene immediately after the gun was fired. Police determined that the motor vehicle was registered to the defendant's mother.
Arrested on a separate incident, the defendant's brother led police to the weapon used in the shooting and indicated that Chaquiro admitted the shooting to him. Police identified the passenger in the motor vehicle driven by the defendant as Nelson Pineda, who told police that after he and the defendant encountered the victims earlier in the day, where they exchanged harsh words, the defendant went to his home to retrieve the gun used in the drive-by shooting.
The defendant testified on his own behalf during the trial asserting he committed the shooting in self defense.
Providence Police Detectives Angelo A'Vant and Kenneth Court led the investigation. Assistant Attorney General Ronald Gendron prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.