Page 4 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, October 1, 2021 Malden Police: Arrest made in 30-year-old ‘cold case’ murder of Malden teen Georgia man, 48, indicted on murder charge in 1991 case on Henry Street Gerry D’Ambrosio Attorney-at-Law Is Your Estate in Order? Do you have an update Will, Health Care Proxy or Power of Attorney? If Not, Please Call for a Free Consultation. 14 Proctor Avenue, Revere (781) 284-5657 Special to the Advocate A 48-year-old Georgia man was ordered held without bail this morning at his arraignment on charges in connection with the murder of a 17-year-old Malden teen girl on Henry Street just over 30 years ago. Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Malden Chief of Police Kevin Molis have announced that Rodney Daniels, 48, has been charged with the murder of Patricia Moreno, 17, that occurred on July 20, 1991, in Malden. On Tuesday, a Middlesex Grand Jury indicted Daniels for murder in connection with allegedly fatally shooting Patricia in the head outside a Henry Street apartment in Malden where she lived with her foster family. Daniels was arrested in Georgia without incident on September 27, 2021. Daniels was arraigned in Middlesex Superior Court Thursday and ordered held without bail pending www.eight10barandgrille.com We Have Reopened for Dine-In and Outside Seating every day beginning at 4 PM WE'RE OPEN! 8 Norwood Street, Everett (617) 387-9810 STAY SAFE! a dangerousness hearing. “After three decades we have taken the first steps today to hold accountable the person who we allege took Tricia’s life,” said Ryan. “It is always with mixed emotions that we make these announcements as we know this will not fill the void caused by the loss of a daughter, a sister and a friend to many … I do hope, however, that it brings hope to some of the families who are still awaiting answers. This is a case that was solved not by a new development in forensic science, but as a result of relentless investigative work and a change in circumstances for some parties involved,” DA Ryan added. “When we created a dedicatwhere it was determined that she had suffered an irreversible brain injury. She died that afternoon as a direct result of the gunshot wound. No weapon or cartridge casing was recovered from the scene. The surviving occupants of the apartment claimed that they had heard a pair of gunshots but had no information as to the identity of the shooter. There was no evidence of forced entry into the home. During the subsequent inA former Malden man, Rodney Daniels, 48, was arrested in Georgia on Monday and arraigned in Middlesex Superior Court yesterday on charges he shot and killed Patricia Moreno, 17, outside her Henry Street home in Malden on July 20, 1991. (Courtesy/Malden Police Department) ed unit to look at our uncharged cases, we hoped for outcomes like this one. We know that time can change many things and in this case we were able to uncover new information that led us to this arrest,” Ryan said. On July 20, 1991, just after 3:00 a.m., police responded to the third floor apartment at 2123 Henry Street, Malden, where Patricia Moreno was found with a single gunshot wound to the head. She had been living at this location after being placed with a foster family. The investigation revealed that the victim’s foster mother, her two teenage daughters and her daughter’s boyfriend, Rodney Daniels, were also present in the apartment. When police and emergency medical personnel arrived, Patricia was alone, face down, on the third floor fire escape landing, still breathing but seriously injured. The victim was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital, vestigation, police interviewed Rodney Daniels, who claimed that he had been sleeping in an armchair in the living room when he was awakened by the sound of two gunshots, and that he subsequently walked out onto the fire escape, where he located the victim. The victim’s foster mother then called for police and an ambulance. Over the course of the investigation, police learned that Daniels had been in possession of multiple handguns close in time to the murder. Further investigation also revealed that Daniels had engaged in threatening behavior toward the victim in the weeks before her death. Numerous parties were interviewed over the course of many years, but no arrest was made in the case. In 2020, after the case had been assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office unit dedicated to these types of uncharged cases, crime scene investigators returned to 21-23 Henry St. and reconstructed the position of the victim on the third-floor fire escape. Based on the position of the entry wound and the downward trajectory of the bullet, the path of the MURDER | SEE PAGE 8 Law Offices of Terrence W. Kennedy 512 Broadway, Everett • Criminal Defense • Personal Injury • Medical Malpractice Tel: (617) 387-9809 Cell: (617) 308-8178 twkennedylaw@gmail.com
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