Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that a Providence County Superior Court jury found Daniel Lastarza (age 50), formerly of Providence, guilty today of second degree murder for the July 23, 2014 beating death of Jonathan Stack (age 33). The jury returned the guilty verdict after seven hours of deliberations following a six-day trial presided over by Superior Court Justice Kristin E. Rodgers. The murder took place at the rear of the $3 Sports Bar previously located at 242 Atwells Avenue in Providence. The State proved beyond a reasonable doubt the decedent became involved in an argument with a friend of the defendant after having been defrauded $400 by him earlier that day. The confrontation became physical. A friend of Stack's joined the fight and the three men were engaged in a struggle when the defendant approached with a wooden board. The defendant brutally struck Stack two times on the head while Stack was lying on the ground. Stack lived for two days in the hospital before dying as a result of his injuries.
During the trial the state introduced video surveillance footage from the $3 Sports Bar. The video footage captured part of the altercation, including the delivery of the fatal blows by Lastarza to Stack.
In Rhode Island, the penalty for second degree murder is ten years to life in prison.
Providence Police Detective Casey Moffett and William Corrigan led the investigation and Assistant Attorney General Roger Demers and Special Assistant Attorney General John Perrotta prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.