New Bedford man gets life in prison for 2017 double murder
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WLNE) — A New Bedford man, who was one of Massachusetts’ Most Wanted fugitives, was found guilty for his role in a double murder in 2017.
Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn said Wednesday that Carmelo Kercado Jr., 40, was convicted first-degree murder and illegal firearms charges. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
On Oct. 10, 2017, Quinn said Kercado, a New Bedford gang member, was riding in the backseat of a car that was driven by Stephen Bodden. Fabio Tavares was in the front passenger seat.
Bodden, 27, and Taveres, 28, met up with Kercado at the Whiskey Lounge between 11 p.m. and midnight on Oct. 9. They left together just after 1 a.m.
Shortly after, the two victims were found shot to death on Central Avenue in a Honda. Bodden, said Quinn, was shot six times and Tavares was shot five time.
Kercado then left Massachusetts. He was found two months later in North Carolina.
The 40-year-old was also a person of interest in a different homicide outside of the same bar in August of that year.
At that time, the assistant district attorney said the two could’ve been connected since Bodden posted a video online talking about the August killing.
