Boston man pleads not guilty in jewelry heist, shooting of Woburn officer

By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff

BURLINGTON -- A Boston man pleaded not guilty today to charges that he shot a Woburn police officer during a jewelry heist last month.

Antonio Matos, 25, who was shot himself in the gunfight at the store, was arraigned in his bed at the Lahey Clinic in Burlington.

Prosecutor Marian Ryan said Matos had shot Officer Robert DeNapoli several times and endangered the lives of multiple civilians in the incident at a jewelry store in the busy Four Corners area.

Matos faces two counts of masked armed robbery and two counts of armed assault with attempt to murder. While at one point he was given little hope of surviving, he was conscious today during his arraignment, which was closed to the press.

Ryan said after the hearing that Matos allegedly mounted DeNapoli’s police cruiser after an attempted robbery at Musto Jewelers on the morning of Sept. 6, forcing DeNapoli to exit his vehicle and take cover.

Ryan said that DeNapoli at some point during the encounter “lost his index finger as well as his gun” while Matos fled down the street.

During the pursuit, gunfire struck a civilian vehicle as well as a house that Matos hid behind, Ryan said.

Matos was ordered held in lieu of $500,000 cash bail. He was due in court Oct. 24 for a pre-trial conference.

His attorney at the arraignment, Julie Buszuwski, declined to speak with reporters afterward.

Newly appointed Woburn Police Chief Robert J. Ferullo Jr. attended the hearing and briefly addressed reporters on his way out.

Asked about DeNapoli’s condition, Ferullo said, “His spirits are great. He is looking forward to going back to work.”

Ferullo added that department morale has not suffered in the wake of the shooting, which came on the heels of a fatal shooting of another officer in December.

“We’re a resilient department that deals with whatever comes our way,” Ferullo said.

An alleged accomplice of Matos, Hector Baez-Cruz, 21, has already been arraigned on similar charges in connection with the incident. Police are seeking at least one other suspect as part of the investigation.

Authorities refused to discuss the status of that search after today’s arraignment.

Matos is in fair condition at Lahey, according to a hospital spokesman. A spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office said he would eventually be transferred to Lemuel Shattuck Hospital.

Travis Andersen can be reached at tandersen@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @TAGlobe.