By John Lynds
A second suspect has been arrested and charged in connection with the June 14 murder of 19-year-old Blanca Lainez on Princeton Street.
Angel Antonio Ramos-Oliva, 21, of East Boston was arraigned in East Boston Municipal Court last week and charged with murder. Judge Lisa Grant held him without bail at the request of Assistant District Attorney Jess Megee. Ramos-Oliva plead not guilty to the charges.
Ramos-Oliva is the second suspect arrested and arraigned in connection with Lainez’s murder. Jose Hernandez, 16, of East Boston was arrested by Boston Police in July at his home at 63 Marion Street after an extensive investigation into Lainez’s death. Surveillance camera footage, cell phone records and bloody palm print had led detectives to Hernandez.
“Amid the ongoing investigation into Lainez’ stabbing death, Boston Police homicide detectives arrested Angel Antonio Ramos-Oliva,” said the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office in a statement.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, Ramos-Oliva’s arrest was based on evidence including private surveillance video and fingerprint analysis developed since Lainez’ body was found in a Princeton Street garage on the morning of June 15.
Lainez body was found in a garage behind 54 Princeton Street, a home that is currently under construction, on Wednesday, June 15. She had been beaten and stabbed according to Assistant Suffolk County District Attorney John Verner of the DA’s Homicide Unit.
Ramos-Oliva’s arrest comes after video footage shows the victim, Lainez, get off a MBTA bus at the corner of Meridian and Saratoga Street on June 14. A few minutes later, Ramos-0liva is seen on video footage leaving his home on Saratoga Street. Lainez then enters a Liquor Store on Meridian and Saratoga with whom authorities believe is Ramos-Oliva. The two then leave the liquor store and head towards Princeton Street. Ramos-Oliva is seen in the footage talking on his cell phone.
Around this time video picks up Hernandez walking towards the Princeton Street garage talking on his cell phone and for the next 22 minutes, according to the District Attorney’s office, neither men or Lainez is seen. Then at 8:56 p.m. investigators say video surveillance picks up Ramos-Oliva allegedly running along Marion Street from the area where the murder allegedly occurred. At the same time, Hernandez can be seen running towards his home on Marion Street.
Analysis of footage from multiple cameras suggests that these men traveled to a portion of Princeton Street between 40 Princeton St. and the Marion Street intersection – a portion that includes 54 Princeton St., according to the DA’s office.
A search warrant was executed at 63 Marion St. where Hernandez lived back and July and authorities found a two-tone hooded jacket consistent with the one seen on the video footage.
According to the DA’s office a person going to or from the garage in which Lainez’ body was found would have to travel between the studs of an unfinished wall of the garage. During the investigation, the examination of that area led to the recovery of a palm print that tested presumptively positive for blood – and that also matched Hernandez’ prints when he was arrested with a large knife on Thursday, June 30.
Also the DA’s office said an analysis of Lainez’ cell phone showed “extensive contact” between Hernandez and the victim prior to her homicide and suggested “animosity” between the two. Hernandez had allegedly threatened her in the weeks prior to her death.
The Boston Police Department continues to actively review the facts and circumstances surrounding this incident. Anyone with information is strongly urged to contact Boston Police Homicide Detectives at (617) 343-4470.
Community members wishing to assist this investigation anonymously can do so by calling the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 1 (800) 494-TIPS or by texting the word ‘TIP’ to CRIME (27463). The Boston Police Department will stringently guard and protect the identities of all those who wish to help this investigation in an anonymous manner.
Ramos-Oliva was represented by attorney Robert Griffin. He will return to court on Sept. 30.