Murder trial for Pawtucket man accused of killing barbershop employee to begin
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The murder trial of a Pawtucket man accused of a murder in Central Falls is set to begin on Wednesday.
Luis Lopez, 41, is accused of killing Emmanuel Torres-Plaza, a barbershop employee, with a ghost gun.
Reportedly, Central Falls Police found Torres-Plaza’s body in a parking lot in September of 2023, and surveillance footage showed a gunman shooting Torres-Plaza and fleeing the scene in a green Honda.
Later that night, Plainville Police responded to a car fire; the car on fire was the green Honda, with Lopez sitting next to it. Allegedly, he had a burn wound and smelled like gasoline, and two guns and a bulletproof vest were inside the car.
In addition to a murder charge, Lopez faces a charge for possession of a ghost gun and six counts of possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a violent crime– Lopez has a previous manslaughter conviction dating back to 2007.
The trial begins at 9:30 a.m.
