Boston man, 33, identified as city's latest murder victim

July 30, 2008 12:33 PM Email| Comments (0)| Text size – +

By John R. Ellement, Globe staff

A 33-year-old Boston man was identified today as the person stabbed to death following an altercation between two men in Roxbury Tuesday afternoon.

John Marshall was stabbed at least four times shortly before 2:30 p.m. on Dale Street near the intersection with Regent street. He was rushed to Boston Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, according to Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley's office and Boston police.

A relative of Marshall’s said today that the family was devastated by their loss and not ready to talk with reporters.

Based on eyewitness accounts and the observations of a Boston police officer who was stationed nearby, 29-year-old David Copeland was arrested within hours of the fatal stabbing and charged with killing Marshall, authorities said.

This morning, Copeland was arraigned in Roxbury Municipal Court, where he pleaded not guilty to one count of first-degree murder and ordered held without bail by Judge Milton Wright. His attorney, Michael Laurano, declined to comment.

In court, Suffolk Assistant District Attorney Edward Krippendorf broadly outlined the events leading up to what is now the city’s 38th murder of 2008. He said the two men met at a parking lot but soon became involved in a verbal and physical altercation. He did not say what the men argued about or if they had known each other prior to yesterday.

Copeland, of Roxbury, allegedly then stabbed Marshall multiple times before fleeing. Arriving police, and an officer who was in the neighborhood before the stabbing, found a hat near where Marshall was stabbed that Copeland was reportedly wearing earlier in the day.

Krippendorf also said that police discovered Copeland as he was trying to wipe blood off his arms and noticed that he had changed the clothing he was seen wearing earlier in the day. Copeland told police he was in his apartment since 10 a.m., but Krippendorf said that video surveillance and eyewitnesses showed Copeland was in the area, and outside the Regent Street apartment, after that time.

The prosecutor said Copeland has served prison time for an assault and battery conviction.