Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin and Colonel Steven G. O'Donnell, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and Commissioner of Public Safety, today announced the arrest and indictment of four individuals charged with the murder of Kerry Mello, 36, of Cranston.
On April 20, 2016, the Statewide Grand Jury returned secret and sealed indictments in connection with the death of Kerry Mello in August 2015. Kerry Mello was last seen on August 10, 2015 and reported missing to the Cranston Police shortly after.
On August 19, 2015, a torso was located in Massachusetts waters near Westport. Two days later, two severed legs were discovered on a beach in Little Compton near the Massachusetts border. The remains were later identified as Kerry Mello.
The Rhode Island State Police have been working on this investigation with the Massachusetts State Police, the United States Coast Guard, Cranston and Warwick Police Departments, and the Rhode Island Office of Attorney General.
The Grand Jury Returned indictments against Jamie Barriera, 35, of Louisiana Avenue, Warwick; Francisco Concepcion, 36, of Louisiana Avenue, Warwick; Albert Barriera, 61, the father of Jamie Barreira, of Shannon Drive, Warwick; and Graig Bustillo, 39, of Adelaide Avenue, Providence.
All four defendants were charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and mutilation of a dead human body.
Arrest warrants were executed in the early morning hours today, April 21, 2016, and each defendant was arrested at their home.
All four defendants were arraigned today in Kent County Superior Court before Justice Joseph A. Montalbano and were ordered held without bail. Bail hearings have been scheduled for May 5, 2016.
The investigation revealed that Jamie Barreira was involved in growing marijuana. At some point in the summer of 2015, a significant quantity of marijuana and currency was stolen from him. Kerry Mello, an associate of Jamie Barreira, was suspected by him to have been the culprit.
As a result, the investigation revealed that Jamie Barreira lured Mello to Albert Barriera's home on Shannon Drive in Warwick, where he was killed and dismembered. His body was disposed of at sea.
The indictments unsealed today allege that the individuals charged acted in concert to cause the death of Kerry Mello.
This remains an ongoing investigation.
State Police Detective Adam Kennett led the investigation and Special Assistant Attorney General Timothy Healy handled the arraignments on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.