Providence Man Admits To Killing Man In Pawtucket

PROVIDENCE, RI — A Providence man admitted in court he killed a man in Pawtucket in 2021, Attorney General Peter Neronha said Thursday.

Last week, Jahcolin Rodrigues, 23, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and discharging a firearm in connection to the slaying of Leonardo Tavares. Prosecutors said Rodrigues will remain held without bail at the Rhode Island Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston until he is sentenced on Sept. 9.

Had the case gone to trial, prosecutors said they were prepared to prove Rodrigues shot and killed Tavares on Randall Street in Pawtucket on May 15, 2021.

"One fatal act of gun violence yields so much suffering, forever changing the lives of those who cared for the victim," Attorney General Peter Neronha. "It is my hope that by holding accountable violent criminals, like this defendant, we help deter others from committing similar acts of violence."

During the afternoon on May 15, Rodrigues spotted Tavares while driving through Pawtucket in a Subaru Impreza. After circling the block, he shot several times into Tavares’ Nissan Rogue, killing the victim, prosecutors said. Several witnesses positively identified the defendant from video surveillance footage of the crime.

Prosecutors said Rodrigues had an ongoing feud with members and affiliates of the Bucket West street gang, and he believed the victim was affiliated with Bucket West.

"I want to thank Detective Barrett and Sergeant Gould for their hard work on this case," Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves said. "Gun violence has no place in our communities, and the Pawtucket Police Department will continue to work hand in hand with the Attorney General’s Office to ensure that violent criminals are brought to justice."

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