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Newton teens arraigned in Waltham slaying

Print Posted by Martin Finucane November 10, 2010 04:39 PM

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By L. Finch, Globe Correspondent

Two Newton teenagers pleaded not guilty today in the fatal shooting of a Waltham man whose drugs they allegedly planned to steal, Middlesex prosecutors said.

Benjamin Peirce, 17, and Shaquan Jacobs, 18, were ordered held without bail after being arraigned in Superior Court in Woburn on murder, armed robbery, and firearms charges in the September death of 29-year-old Adam Coveney, the Middlesex district attorney’s office said.

Two others allegedly involved in the deadly drug deal were indicted by a grand jury Tuesday, the district attorney’s office said.

Daniel Louis, 21, of West Roxbury, who prosecutors allege pulled the trigger on Coveney, will be arraigned Thursday on murder, armed robbery and firearm charges. Wallace Duarte, 17, of Waltham, charged as an accessory after the fact to murder for his alleged role as the getaway driver, will be arraigned at a later unknown date.

Prosecutors say Peirce, Jacobs and Louis first allegedly attempted to rob a Newton North High School student they knew well, but the plan came up short when the three, firearm in hand, failed to break into the student’s house.

Peirce then allegedly arranged a drug deal with Coveney in order to rob him of Percocet tablets instead, according to the district attorney’s office.

Shortly after 11 p.m. on Sept. 30, Peirce met Coveney on Lexington Street in Waltham, prosecutors say. Jacobs and Louis, who were hidden from view, allegedly jumped out of hiding and began to beat Coveney before Louis shot him. Peirce allegedly picked up the drugs that Coveney had on him, and the three then sped off in a car driven by Duarte and a female companion, the district attorney’s office said.

All four were arrested the next day.

Peirce and Jacobs are due back in court Nov. 19.