Police announce arrest in West End homicide

Mayobanex Martinez Abreau, 22 of Providence is seen in a photo supplied by the Mahoning County, Ohio Sheriff’s office. He is a suspect in the December 19, 2022 homicide of Michael Luciano De La Rosa, 28 in Providence.

By Steve Klamkin WPRO News

Police identified the victim of Monday night’s homicide inside a West End garage, while announcing the arrest of a suspect by federal marshals in Ohio in the ninth homicide of 2022 in Providence.

Police on Wednesday said that Michael Luciano De La Rosa, 28 was shot and killed following an argument, and that a suspect, Mayobanex Martinez Abreau, 22 was identified within 14 hours by detectives. Members of the U.S. Marshals Service arrested him Wednesday morning at a hotel room in Youngstown, Ohio, said Major David Lapatin.

“We can’t really (give) too much information right now,” said Major Lapatin. “But we believe they knew each other. We also believe there was hard feelings between the two of them, which caused a verbal argument that ended up in this altercation with the gun.”

“The investigation continues. Even though we have somebody apprehended, it’s still very early and there’s still a lot of things that need to be sorted out, that’s why we can’t give you much more,” Lapatin said.

He said detectives were still talking with other people who were inside the Waverly Street garage at the time of the shooting.

Other detectives were on their way to Ohio to accompany Abreau back to Rhode Island, should he waive extradition.

It was the ninth homicide of 2022 in Providence, Lapatin said.

“It’s a low rate. I hate to say that when we’ve just lost somebody because it just doesn’t make any sense to say oh, we’ve got such a low rate when one family is out there grieving a loved one,” Lapatin said.

“It is the ninth, and like I said, we’ll do everything we can, which is taking over 200 guns off the street, to try and prevent a tenth one,” he said.

A garage on Waverly Street is where Providence Police said Michael Luciano De La Rosa, 28 was killed in an altercation December 19, 2022. Photo by Steve Klamkin WPRO News
Providence Police (from left) Lt. Dennis O’Brien and Major David Lapatin announce the arrest of Mayobanex Martinez Abreau, 22 in Youngstown, Ohio in the shooting death of Michael Luciano De La Rosa, 28. Photo by Steve Klamkin WPRO News