EVERETT, MA — Henry “J.R.” Del-Rio, 27, has been charged with first-degree murder in the 2015 death of Ashlee Berryman, a 21-year-old mother, in a nightclub parking lot incident. The charges, which also include assault and battery and weapons offenses, were announced following a grand jury indictment.
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan described the incident as a “terrible tragedy,” emphasizing the loss of Berryman, an innocent victim caught in gunfire. The shooting occurred in the early hours of August 13, 2015, outside the Braza Bar & Grill in Everett, where Berryman was attending a concert to see her boyfriend perform.
Prosecutors allege Del-Rio, associated with the East Side Money gang, was involved in an altercation in the parking lot. Around 12:50 a.m., after a confrontation with two men who arrived post-concert, Del-Rio reportedly fired a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol nine times. Although aiming at the men, Berryman, who was not involved in the dispute, was fatally struck.
The incident, which has had a profound impact on Berryman’s family, including her then 3-year-old son, marks a grim chapter in the community’s struggle with gun violence and gang-related activities. Del-Rio’s arrest and charges bring a significant development in a case that has lingered unresolved for years.