Reinaldo Andino-Colon, 53, and Reinaldo Andino-Benitez, 23, both of 174 Meadowbrook Lane, were arraigned before Judge Andrew L. Mandell today in Fitchburg District Court in the slaying of Alex Ortiz-Rivera, 32, of South Gate, Calif. Their cases were continued to April 25.
A third suspect, Edward J. Ortiz, 19, of Dorado, Puerto Rico, was arrested in Puerto Rico last week and is being held on $5 million bail. He will be returned to Massachusetts to face a murder charge.
Mr. Early said the Chief Medical Examiner determined that Mr. Ortiz-Rivera, who lived for a time with the Andinos, had a crushed and punctured larynx along with bruising to his neck.
“The investigation revealed that at the time of his death Mr. Rivera had nine pounds of marijuana and more than $8,000 in cash,” Mr. Early said.
All three suspects are alleged to have participated in the beating and choking of Mr. Ortiz-Rivera, whose body was placed in the rear of a pick-up truck and dumped off Airport Road.
Assistant District Attorney Cara Krysil is prosecuting the case, which remains under investigation.