By: Laura Soukkavong
Worcester – A major breakthrough has been made in a years-old homicide case, as Worcester police announced the arrest of a suspect in connection with the 2019 shooting death of a teenager.
On Friday, April 3, detectives from multiple units within the Worcester Police Department — including the Detective Bureau, Unresolved Homicide Unit, Crime Gun Unit, and Gang Unit — along with assistance from the department’s EOP Unit, arrested Juan Ruiz, 26, on a warrant charging him with murder.
The arrest stems from an extensive and ongoing investigation into the July 2, 2019 shooting death of Tafar Lewis, 18, who was killed outside 59 Gage Street in Worcester.
Since the time of the homicide, investigators and prosecutors, including those from
the office of Joseph D. Early Jr., have worked persistently to bring justice to Lewis’s family and hold those responsible accountable.
Authorities say new developments in the case recently emerged, with Worcester detectives, assisted by the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, uncovering additional information that advanced the investigation. This new evidence allowed law enforcement, working closely with prosecutors, to establish probable cause to charge three individuals in connection with the murder.
In addition to Ruiz, two other suspects — Juan Otero and Mugisha Jean-Bosco — have also been charged. Officials say Otero is currently in federal custody, while Jean-Bosco is being held on unrelated state charges.
Ruiz was taken into custody without incident.
Officials emphasized that the charges are the result of years of dedication, collaboration, and investigative work by law enforcement and prosecutors determined to resolve the case.
The investigation remains ongoing.