Vernon Woman Identified As Victim In Providence Homicide

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A Vernon, Connecticut woman has been identified as the victim in a fatal shooting Thursday night in Providence.

The shooting took place shortly before 5 p.m. at a multi-family dwelling at 1003 Broad St., police said.

A woman who had sustained a gunshot wound to the head was pronounced deceased at the scene. She was later identified as Morgan Lynn Boss, 29, of Vernon.

Police said as part of the investigation, Kelvin Mendez Cruz, 26, of Providence has been charged with domestic murder and using a firearm when committing a crime of violence.

Cruz was arraigned Friday afternoon in Providence District Court.

On Friday on social media, Sojourner House, a victim services agency based in Rhode Island that has been providing safe shelter, housing, and life-saving supportive services to survivors of abuse since 1976, posted a tribute to Boss.

It said, "(Thursday) night, we heard the heartbreaking news that Morgan Lynn Boss, a 29-year old woman and a budding entrepreneur, was murdered in Providence. Morgan was the co-owner of Behind the Scenes Girls, a cosmetology company specializing in hair, make up, and nails whose beauticians travel between RI, MA, CT, and NY."

It continued, "As a cosmetologist, Morgan spent her days making women across New England feel special and cared for. We came across one review on her company's Facebook page that seemed to perfectly sum up her impact and legacy. It said, “Thank you for your service! You make the world beautiful. We’re devastated that Morgan is no longer here to add beauty and warmth to our neighborhood– that her life was taken by a senseless act of violence. Our thoughts are with those who loved her and held her close. Today, we grieve alongside them."

Toni Marie Roderick, Executive Director, Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center, and Lucy Rios, Executive Director, Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence also both issued a statement after Boss' death.

"Our hearts are heavy as we learn of the tragic loss of 29-year-old Morgan Lynn Boss, whose life was taken far too soon," Roderick and Rios said in a joint statement. "Morgan is the third domestic violence homicide victim in Rhode Island within just two and a half weeks, with a potential fourth case still under investigation. This level of loss in such a short period is devastating, and it reflects a deeper crisis that our state can no longer ignore.

"Each victim was a person who deserved safety, support, and a future," Roderick and Rios said in a joint statement. "Instead, our communities are grieving repeated tragedy while also navigating increased strain—families struggling to meet their basic needs, people disconnected from resources, and systems stretched to their limits. Violence does not arise in a vacuum; it grows where systems fail to support our communities and survivors, where intervention comes too late, and where warning signs are not met with adequate response.

"Morgan was only 29. Domestic violence remains the leading cause of death for women ages 18 to 34, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. This is unacceptable—and preventable," Roderick and Rios said in a joint statement. "Our state must do more to address this escalating violence and the needs of victims by strengthening every system meant to protect them, before another life is taken. We must invest in the resources and supports that strengthen families, reduce risk, and provide survivors with real pathways to safety. We must remain connected to one another in community and do what we can as individuals to take care of each other.

"We mourn the lives of Morgan Lynn Boss, Kimberly Pieranunzi, as well as Donald Roderick Jr., and we remain committed to building communities where safety, stability, and connection are possible for everyone," Roderick and Rios said in a joint statement.

In Connecticut, there is a Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence and you can reach them at 860-282-7899 and there is a 24-hour hotline that can be reached by calling/texting (888) 774-2900.