Two charged in connection with shooting incident in Hadley

BELCHERTOWN – Two people were charged in Eastern Hampshire District Court today in connection with a shooting incident in the Hadley Walmart that left two teenagers with serious injuries shortly after 10 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 22.

Wilmer Alvarez, 26, of Chicopee, was ordered held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing by District Court Judge Danielle Williams, after he pleaded not guilty to two counts of armed assault with intent to murder, and charges of possession of a Class A substance (heroin) with intent to distribute, possession of a Class B substance (cocaine) with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm without a license and possession of ammunition without a license.

Keyla Fernandez, 32, of Holyoke was ordered held on $5,000 cash bail after pleading not guilty to these charges: accessory after the fact, misleading a police officer, possession of a Class A substance (heroin) with intent to distribute, possession of a Class B substance (cocaine) with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm without a license and possession of ammunition without a license.

Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Suhl, representing the Commonwealth, asked the court to hold Alvarez without bail pending a 58A hearing, also known as a dangerousness hearing, noting that two victims, ages 18 and 19 were seriously injured; one shot in the face and leg and the other shot in the arm and chest.  The two victims currently remain at Baystate Medical Center for treatment of their injuries. 

Investigators allege that Alvarez shot the two victims inside a bathroom at the Walmart.  After the shooting, according to witnesses and surveillance video, Alvarez fled the scene in a motor vehicle in which Fernandez was a passenger.  Witnesses quickly called 911 and provide a detailed description of the vehicle to the police.  Shortly after, Hadley Police Officers Rylan Baronas, Jacob Laughlin and Jacob Marini stopped the vehicle on Russell Street and detained Alvarez and Fernandez.  Police recovered a loaded firearm and drugs packaged for distribution on the side of the road near where the vehicle was stopped.  Fernandez has been charged as a joint venturer with Alvarez in relation to the firearm and drugs. Her case was continued for a pre-trial conference until Sept. 20, 2021. She was represented in court by Attorney John Drake.

Alvarez will next appear in court on Tuesday, Aug. 31, for the dangerousness hearing. He was represented in court by defense attorney Alan Rubin of the Committee for Public Counsel Services.

The incident remains under investigation by the Hadley Police and State Police detectives assigned to the office of Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan.

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All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.