Jury finds Solis guilty of murdering of Cherise Hill

Law & Order features information released by the office of Attorney General Maura Healey, Massachusetts State Police, Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early Jr., and the police departments of Worcester, Auburn, Boylston, Grafton, Holden, Leicester, Millbury, Paxton, Shrewsbury and West Boylston. (Sourced from municipal websites, social media and press releases.)

A Worcester Superior Court jury found Pedro Solis guilty of murder in the first degree in the December 2015 stabbing death of Cherise Hill, according to Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.

The jury deliberated for six hours over two days before returning the verdict. The jury found the defendant guilty under both theories of the crime, pre-meditation and extreme atrocity or cruelty. Hill was stabbed to death in the early morning of Dec. 2, 2015, on Murray Avenue.

Judge Shannon Frison imposed the mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Solis, 28, of 45 Grand St., was indicted for the murder by the Worcester County Grand Jury in March 2016. A co-defendant, Kevin Miranda, 20, of 33 Wellington St., testified during the trial. He is expected to plead guilty to a charge of manslaughter at a later date and is to receive a sentence of 18 to 20 years in state prison.

“We have this verdict today in large part due to the hard work of the prosecutorial team, the Worcester Police Detectives and the head of our Victim Witness Advocates Margaret Rwaramba,” Early said. “Cherise’s family also played a huge role in the case, including her mother, Princilla Walker, who testified during the trial. The jury got it right.”

Park Ave. smoke shop robbed

At about 10:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 21, Worcester Police responded to the Park Avenue Smoke Shop, 194 Park Ave., for a reported armed robbery.

The store clerk said a male suspect entered the store, brandished a knife and demanded cash. The clerk opened the cash register and the suspect reached over the counter and grabbed money. After taking the cash, the male ran out of the store and was seen entering a small size vehicle. The vehicle drove off heading north on Park Avenue toward Grove Street.

The suspect was a possible Hispanic male, approximately 5 feet, 10 inches tall, 130 pounds, wearing a hooded sweatshirt and light-colored sweatpants.

WPD make arrest after attempted robbery of delivery driver

At about 9:30 p.m. Jan. 19, Worcester Police responded to a call about a robbery attempt on a pizza delivery driver in the area of Grafton Street and Pilgrim Avenue. Gang Unit officers were in the area and spoke with witnesses, who described three males who were standing on Standish Street.

When the driver got out of the car to deliver his pizza, one of the males ran at him and said, “Give me your money.” The driver immediately ran away and called police. The attempted robbery occurred right before the police arrived.

Police spotted three men at Grafton and Plantation streets who matched the description. When police approached them, the three men appeared startled and immediately began walking in the opposite direction. One of the males, Dante Blake, 18, of 321 Lincoln St., had covered up his face with his sweatshirt.

The victim identified Blake, who was arrested and charged with attempt to commit unarmed robbery.

Grove Street Honey Farms robbed

The Honey Farms market at 341 Grove St. was robbed at about 10:45 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 21.

The clerk, who was visibly shaken, said a man entered the store, went directly to the counter and demanded money. The clerk was stunned and hesitated for a moment. The suspect produced a handgun from his jacket pocket and demanded the register drawer. The suspect reached over and grabbed cash out of the drawer.

The suspect fled and was last seen running south on Grove Street.

The man was described as white, approximately 5 feet, 5 inches, late teens, blonde hair, blue eyes, and wearing a baggy jacket.

Two arrested on Main Street for alleged drug deal

On Jan. 18, a Worcester Police supervisor along with several other Neighborhood Response Team officers were working in plain clothes in the 500-to-600 block of Main Street.

At approximately 10:20 a.m. the supervisor’s attention was drawn to a male, later identified as Carlos Roman, 29, of 18 Penn Ave., Worcester. Roman was seen walking around with no clear destination. At one point Roman and three other men began to walk north on Main Street. In the area of Federal and Main streets, the supervisor observed a man, Eric Larson, 55, of 44 Temple St., Worcester, approach the group and engage in conversation.

Police saw Larson hand Roman money, and Roman remove something from his mouth and give it to Larson.

NRT officers stopped Larson near 640 Main St. A search produced a small clear knotted baggie containing crack cocaine. Roman was arrested in front of City Hall and charged with distribution of a class B substance.

Missing person reported to WPD

On Jan. 9, Worcester Police took a missing persons report for 27-year-old Justin Ramos, who was last seen Jan. 7 at a party on Valley Hill Drive.

Since then, police and family members have searched known areas that Justin frequents as well as checking in with area shelters. Justin has not been in contact with any of his friends or family members.

Ramos is a white male, approximately 5 feet, 8 inches and 190 pounds with brown hair and was wearing a blue jacket, tan pants and red shoes.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Worcester Police Detective Tyler Collette at 508-799-8651.