Family of murdered teen says Lawrence police didn't do enough

LAWRENCE, Mass. — A 16-year-old was arrested Saturday and accused of murdering a fellow teen in Lawrence, Massachusetts, but it’s little consolation to the family of that teen found decapitated along the Merrimack River.

The grief-stricken family stood close together outside their home Saturday afternoon and told a group of reporters that they believe police simply didn’t do enough to find their beloved Lee.

Lee Manuel Viloria-Paulino, 16, went missing in mid-November. The family said they had been putting up missing person fliers all over town and said last week he hadn’t used his cell phone, social media or credit card in weeks.

"He was a nice boy. He was and excellent child. He grew up in a family that really has taken care of him," Paulino’s grandmother, Ivelisse Cornielle, said.

Their loved one’s brutal murder has them convinced of one thing: “This community isn’t safe.”

The statement came from one of Paulino’s family members who flanked Cornielle as she spoke to the media.

Cornielle said if this could happen to her grandson, then it could happen to anyone in the community.

She said Lawrence police didn’t do enough to find him until it was too late. The family said he was unfairly profiled as a runaway because they are a poor, Hispanic family.

“And that’s my pain,” Corneille said. “That's my pain, because since the beginning they were not paying attention to us. Maybe they could save him."

Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett said his office did all it could once it got involved.

"This was a horrific, horrific murder...and while it shook the community, we were completely and totally committed in our resolve to bring this to justice," Blodgett said at a news conference later in the day.

He said there is some justice for the family now that an arrest has been made.

Matthew Borges, 16, was arrested by Massachusetts State Police based on evidence found at the scene, Blodgett explained.

While Borges and Paulino were both sophomores at Lawrence High School, Blodgett said he couldn’t comment on whether or not the two had a relationship with one another.

Before the arrest had been announced, the Cornielle said even an arrest wouldn’t alleviate their pain. Lee would still be gone and, in their minds, maybe he could have been saved.

Cox Media Group