Suspect convicted of killing one, wounding another and firing at NB police in 2020
FALL RIVER, Mass. (WLNE) — A Mattapoisett man was convicted and sentenced in a first-degree murder case stemming from a 2020 incident where the defendant shot and killed one man and severely wounded another.
Jon Zell, 23, was convicted on multiple charges in Fall River Superior Court according to the Bristol County District Attorney’s office.
Zell was convicted of:
- First-degree murder
- Assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury
- Three counts of assault to murder
- Firearms charges
- Larceny from a building
Zell was sentenced to serve 50 years to life in state prison.
The incident occurred on November 27, 2020 when Zell, then 18, fired a stolen pistol at two men at 12 Lafrance Court in New Bedford.
Zell had stolen the weapon from his father.
The 10:21 a.m. shooting left 40-year-old Angel Cruz dead from a single gunshot wound as he worked on a car.
Zell also shot 32-year-old Wilfredo Balestier seven times before the victim attempted to drive away but could not due to his wounds.
Balestier was transported to Rhode Island Hospital with life-threatening injuries and survived the incident.
The victims were not known to the shooter, according to the Bristol County DA.
Responding New Bedford police identified Zell as the suspect from a neighbor’s cell phone video that showed him leaving the scene.
Police located Zell less than an hour after the incident at the intersection of Penniman and Reynolds Streets.
Zell produced a firearm from his waistband and fired at officers who had ordered him to show his hands.
He emptied the firearm in the encounter, dropped the gun and was placed under arrest.
Neither responding officer was injured by the defendant.
Further investigation revealed that Zell had taken photographs of himself with the stolen firearm the previous night.
During trial, Zell’s attorney argued that the defendant lacked criminal responsibility at the time of the shootings.
An expert witness made this case to the jury, and was countered by the prosecution with a Bridgewater State Hospital forensic psychologist’s testimony.
According to the Commonwealth’s witness, Zell was a malingerer with an antisocial personality disorder, not a mental illness.
The arresting New Bedford police officers were also praised for their restraint prior to the apprehension of Zell.
