Two 12-year-olds charged with murder in beating death of man in Providence, Rhode Island

Providence police said two 12-year-olds were charged with murder and felony assault in the beating death of Rony Alonzo, a 51-year-old man, on Manton Avenue in Providence, Rhode Island. Police said two more suspects were expected to face charges, though the source did not specify them.

Witnesses told police they saw four suspects kicking and punching the man and knocking him to the ground on Manton Avenue on Jan. 19. Another report said several people assaulted him in this way. According to police, the four children were taken into custody after a separate disturbance, and they were identified after officers reviewed video footage from the area. Surveillance footage identified four juveniles who were allegedly part of the attack.

Alonzo was taken to Rhode Island Hospital with life-threatening injuries, and his condition significantly deteriorated, according to one report. He died there. An autopsy determined that he died from blunt force trauma. Providence Police Col. Oscar Perez confirmed the death to WJAR on a Friday.

Reports differ on the charges and the ages. One report said the four juveniles were initially charged with felony assault and conspiracy. A later report said police stated that all four minors had been charged with murder and conspiracy to commit felony assault. That report described the group as three 12-year-olds and an 11-year-old. The first report described two 12-year-olds charged with murder and felony assault, with two others still expected to be charged.

Court proceedings also vary by report. One report said two of the juveniles were arraigned on Monday in Family Court, with the other two expected to be arraigned later that week. Another said two of the juveniles were arraigned on Tuesday on charges of murder and conspiracy to commit felony assault in Family Court, and that the other two were due to appear later that week.

Reports also differ in spelling the victim’s surname, with some using Alonzo and others Alonso. Where accounts differ on details like these, the reports should be read against one another, as Proverbs 18:17 shows the value of testing each account. Police have not released further details on the two remaining suspects, and the source does not say whether any other charges have been filed.