Roslindale Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for JP Murder

A Roslindale man convicted of murdering a 19-year-old man to death in 2011 outside a Jamaica Plain 7-Eleven was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday.

Hector "Nemo" Soto, 22, was found guilty on April 23 of the second-degree murder of Kenneth Soto, 19, and has the possibility of parole after 15 years. They were not related, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's office. 

Christian Rivera, 24, of Mission Hill, was convicted in the same trial for being an accessory after the murder, received 2.5 years in prison, with 12 months to serve and the balance suspended for a period of five years, during which time he must complete 10 hours of community service each month.

“Everything we know about this case tells us that Kenneth Soto didn’t have to die,” said District Attorney Dan Conley via press release. “The defendant could have walked away at any point, but he made a different choice instead, one that brought so much sadness to so many people. I want to commend the witnesses who testified at these proceedings, the prosecutors and detectives who worked so hard to help them do so, and most of all Kenneth’s family for the strength and grace they’ve shown against the painful backdrop of their loss.”

Judge Raymond Brassard requested, but did not require, that Rivera write a letter to Kenneth Soto’s family, to express his regret for the role he played in Soto's murder. The judge said he should do this through the Probation Department, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's office.

An impact statement was read to the court by two of Soto’s family members.

“Kenny’s light of his eyes were his nephews and nieces.  They are constantly asking when he’s coming back,” they said.  “We have also lost the light of our eyes.”