Providence murder suspect held without bail
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — A 19-year-old Providence murder suspect was found hiding in a small closet under a stairwell before he was arrested Wednesday, according to authorities.
Kevin Giron was arrested at an apartment on Union Avenue — days after he escaped from a Hudson Street home, where police searched for him.
“At the end of the day, families want to see justice,” said Chief Oscar Perez Thursday at a press conference.
Providence police share these photo from inside the closet where Kevin Giron was found, Wednesday, June 14, 2023.
Police said Giron allegedly shot and killed Juan Carlos Morales at a park last Saturday night.
Both men, police said, were with a group of people drinking. The two men were believed to be in a dispute and left the group and went behind a concession stand.
That’s when Morales, also 19, was shot in the chest.
Providence police share these photo from inside the closet where Kevin Giron was found, Wednesday, June 14, 2023.
“Public safety is a priority and again someone lost their life. My condolences to the family members that lost their loved one,” Perez said.
The search for Giron lasted almost four days and involved Rhode Island State Police and federal law enforcement.
The death of Morales marked Providence’s sixth homicide of the year. Deadly crime in the city is currently on pace to surpass 2022’s full-year total of nine homicides.
Providence police shared this previous booking photo of Kevin Giron.
Mayor Brett Smiley on Thursday raised concerns about the number of guns on the street and said the city has to do more to ensure the safety of Providence residents.
“It’s something that keeps me up at night,” Smiley said. “There are way too many guns in this community and things that might have been personal disputes resolved through fist fights, now result in gunfire and death and it’s a problem.”
Perez also added police have not recovered the murder weapon used to kill Morales.
Giron was arraigned Thursday afternoon and held without bail.
