HYDE SQ.—A suspect in last year’s stabbing death of a Jamaica Plain man in the 7-Eleven parking lot was arrested yesterday by Boston Police officers and charged with murder.
Kenneth Soto, 19, was killed during an early-morning fight at the 451 Centre St. convenience store on Oct. 16.
The man charged in the killing is Hector Soto, 20, a Roslindale resident who is not related to the victim, according to the Boston Police Department (BPD). Hector Soto was arrested by the BPD’s Youth Violence Strike Force, the Homicide Unit and detectives from JP’s District E-13 Police Station.
Police also charged Chris Rivera, 23, of Roxbury with being an accessory after the fact to the crime, and with assault and battery, according to BPD. Rivera was arrested on a warrant on March 6.
Kenneth Soto, who was known as “Kenny” and “Black,” attended Hyde Square Task Force (HSTF) youth programs and had just applied for college. He reportedly had no involvement with Hyde Square’s gangs.
HSTF Executive Director Claudio Martinez previously told the Gazette that, according to neighborhood discussions, Kenneth Soto was killed after an altercation at a club or party in Rhode Island, when someone followed him back to JP and attacked him.
Kenneth Soto was attacked in the store parking lot, then found by police officers inside, lying in a pool of blood with people administering first aid, according to BPD.