Man charged in 2007 murder on MBTA bus

October 7, 2008 02:19 PM Email| Comments (0)| Text size – +

By John R. Ellement, Globe staff

A 19-year-old Dorchester man is being charged with a March 2007 shooting on board the MBTA's Route 23 bus, an act of violence that ended the life of an 18-year-old Dorchester man.

A Suffolk County grand jury returned a first-degree murder indictment against Jonathan Sanders, who is being held at the Nashua Street Jail on unrelated matters and the charges were lodged against him Monday, according to Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley's office.

Sanders is accused of shooting Dwayne Graham in the head on March 30, 2007. Graham was rushed to Boston Medical Center where he died of his injuries one day later.

The late afternoon shooting stunned the city and led the MBTA to accelerate the installation of security cameras on hundreds of buses, including those used for the Route 23 line.

Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley and Police Commissioner Edward Davis jointly applauded the arrest in a statement.

"Today’s announcement is a testament to the fact the investigators and prosecutors will not rest until justice is secured for homicide victims and their surviving loved ones,'' Davis said.

Conley said the charges grew out of an investigation that began when Graham was shot and was done with the assistance of Transit Police detectives.

“Though more than a year has passed, we never abandoned our shared efforts to find justice for Dwayne Graham and his loved ones,'' Conley said.

In a statement, Acting Transit Police Chief Paul MacMillan said “public transit users should be assured that all law enforcement agencies will continue to work together to ensure their safety.’’

Graham had five brothers and was a senior at McKinley High School in Dorchester.

A motive for the killing was not identified by authorities.