22-year-old arraigned on gun charges after Mattapan slaying

By Brian Ballou and Martin Finucane, Globe Staff

A 22-year-old man was arraigned today in Dorchester District Court on firearms charges after being arrested early Sunday after a fatal shooting in Mattapan.

Osmell Odena was held on $100,000 cash bail after the shooting of 27-year-old Rayshawn Few, which was reported at 2:35 a.m. Sunday. His bail was also revoked on a previous case.

Police responded to 24 Woodruff Way, then followed a car that was fleeing the scene at high speed. The car eventually stopped at 233 River St., where the suspects — three men — fled on foot. Odena was arrested near 109 Woodbole Avenue, while the other two men eluded police, according to a police report filed in the case.

Officers retracing the route the fleeing suspects took found a revolver with six live rounds in it. Light snow falling was melting on it because it was still warm, the report said. A black folding knife was also found on the route the three had taken as they fled.

Odena was charged with carrying a firearm without a license; possession of ammunition without a firearms ID card; and carrying a loaded firearm without a license. Odena was slated to return to court March 8 on those charges.

Judge Rosalind Miller slated a March 26 hearing on another case pending against Odena that included a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon from a Dec. 4 incident in which he allegedly failed to stop for police directing traffic on Geneva Avenue.

Odena’s defense attorney, Kelli Porges, said he lived with his grandparents and was a full-time student at Roxbury Community College who works with juveniles at risk at a program in Canton. Arguing that the bail was too high, the attorney said Odena had no juvenile record, no restraining orders against him.

She also argued that since the gun recovered contained six bullets, it wasn’t the gun used in the slaying.

Odena’s uncle and great-uncle attended the arraignment and the uncle spoke briefly afterwards, saying that his nephew is a great basketball player.

“He has no reason to be in here, to be in jail,” said the uncle, who declined to give his name. “This is way too much to handle.”

When asked about the high cash bail, the uncle shook his head from side to side. “That’s crazy,” he said, standing next to a group of young men who also attended the arraignment as a show of support for Odena.

The murder was the fourth in Boston this year, police said.

The incident is under investigation by the Boston Police Homicide Unit. Anyone with information is asked to call the Homicide Unit at (617) 343-4470. For those who would like to leave an anonymous tip may call 1(800) 494-TIPS or text the word ‘TIP’ to CRIME (27463).