Merrimack Man Indicted in Mass. Murder, Home Invasion Case

A Merrimack man and a Nashua man have been indicted on murder charges for the alleged fatal shooting of Christiano Diaz-Arias, 44, of Lowell, Mass.

The Middlesex District Attorney in Massachusetts announced April 11 that Donte Okowuga, 34, of Merrimack, N.H., was formally charged with murder, armed home invasion, and armed assault to rob.

Roberto Lopez-Ortiz, 32, of Nashua, was also indicted on charges of murder, armed home invasion, and armed assault to rob.

Marian Ryan, the Middlesex DA, said they were two of five men indicted in the armed home invasion on Dec. 18, 2013 at 49 2nd St., Lowell. Diaz-Arias was shot and killed during the invasion, police said.

Others charged were:

• Tarrant Tillis, 36, of Dracut was indicted on charges of murder, armed home invasion, and armed assault to rob.

• Jonathan Rivera, 23, of Nashua, N.H., was indicted on charges of armed home invasion and armed assault to rob.

• Kent Grays, 42, of Lowell was indicted on a charge of assault to rob.

Okowuga will be arraigned Monday in Middlesex Superior Court, and arraignment dates for the other defendants have not yet been scheduled. All five defendants are in custody, according to the DA.

During the home invasion, Lopez-Ortiz suffered a gunshot wound to the hand and was treated and released from hospital in Manchester, the Middlesex DA said.