Saturday, August 29, 1998

Dogged detectives crack J.D.'s case

By Mark E. Vogler
Eagle-Tribune Writer

LAWRENCE -- The arrest of a Methuen man for the hit-and-run killing of 13-year-old Joseph A. ''J.D.'' Daniels last fall climaxed an eight-month investigation by two Lawrence police detectives.

Their dogged work, with assistance from a state trooper who later obtained a confession, paved the way for charges to be filed Thursday against Orlando Fuentes, 25, 38 Larchwood Road. Police said Mr. Fuentes is the one who ran down J.D. as he walked home with friends for his birthday party last October.

Orlando Fuentes

''They broke the case. They did an excellent job, a heck of a job,'' Lawrence Police Chief Ronald J. Guilmette, said of detectives Mary R. Bartlett and Arthur W. Waller Jr.

''They're two hard-working detectives. And we're glad they were able to assist Methuen in solving this case. Before they developed some information, I don't think this person was a suspect at all,'' he said.

Mr. Fuentes is being held without bail until Wednesday's bail hearing, pending an evaluation, according to police. He faces charges of motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation and leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in death.

Mr. Fuentes's lawyer, Thomas J. Torrisi, has denied that his client gave a confession or was involved in the crime.

But police said Mr. Fuentes apparently told a few friends about his involvement in the accident. And while investigating another crime, Detectives Waller and Bartlett developed information that led to Mr. Fuentes's arrest.

Detective Bartlett said police did not even know Mr. Fuentes's last name when they began investigating him.

Police said more charges may be brought against the man investigators characterized as a car thief, a reputed gang member with the Latin Gangsters Disciples and ''a total macho type guy.''

Mr. Fuentes was already on probation for auto theft crime. His criminal record includes arrests for more than a dozen crimes, including assault on a police officer, carrying a dangerous weapon and drugs possession.

''We've been looking at him for eight months,'' Detective Bartlett said.

''We had some information that we learned of about eight months ago about his possible involvement in the crime. But we hadn't been able to pull it together until recently,'' she said.

''About two weeks ago, we were told that he would be leaving the area. Then, we got another piece of the puzzle and decided to move,'' she said.

Detective Bartlett would not elaborate on the new information. But she said that earlier this week she, State Trooper Paul Zipper and Detective Waller met with a prosecutor from District Attorney Kevin M. Burke's office, Milton E. ''Ted'' Cranney. They decided to bring Mr. Fuentes in for an interview.

''We went to see him (Mr. Fuentes) yesterday (Thursday) after he had seen his probation officer. Then Paul (Zipper) got a confession out of him.

''If it wasn't for Trooper Zipper, we would not have been able to do it. He has done a lot of legwork on the case,'' she said.

Methuen police were working on other leads involving another likely suspect at the same time that Lawrence detectives were looking at Mr. Fuentes. At one point, Methuen police did interview Mr. Fuentes.

''A lot of people put a lot of time into this case. They put their blood and guts into it. It was only recently that we were able to bring it to a successful conclusion,'' she said.

Reached at home last night, Essex County District Attorney Kevin M. Burke said he was impressed with the detectives' work.

''As far as I know, it was good police work,'' Mr. Burke said.

''Cases of this type are always difficult when they don't break right away. My congratulations to them,'' he said.

Police said Mr. Fuentes hit the boy unintentionally, then panicked.

''He was racing around like a kid on a joy ride. Then he just hit the kid and took off,'' said an officer close to the investigation.

''It was a complete accident,'' the officer said.

Mr. Fuentes was also charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle.

This report was prepared by police reporter Mark E. Vogler. If you have questions, comments or material to add on this subject, please feel free to contact him by phone at 685-1000, by mail at Box 100, Lawrence, MA 01842, or by e-mail at mvogler@eagletribune.com
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