Men charged for killing 7-year-old girl plead not guilty

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The two men charged in the shooting murder of a 7-year-old girl in Providence in the summer of 2024 were back in court Wednesday after being indicted by a grand jury.

19-year-old Amari Cabrera and 26-year-old Shaheem Nathaniel plead not guilty in court.

Each of them faces 17 felony counts, including first degree murder and several gun charges.

Prosecutors at the last bail hearing said Cabrera and Nathaniel got into an argument with 7-year-old Ny’Eil Pires’ father before the deadly shooting.

Ny’Eil was in the backseat with her brother.

Her father, Nelson Pires, also faces child endangerment charges.

Prosecutors said Nathaniel, with Cabrera in his car, pulled over on the side of the street, and that Pires suddenly drove his car right at the two.

Gunshots were heard in the neighborhood and Pires quickly backed away.

As Pires turned around and continued up Florence Street, two hooded men, who police again said were Nathaniel and Cabrera, continued to pursue the car on foot and another shot was fired at the car.

Both men were ordered held without bail.

A pre-trial conference in the case was set for May 5.