WORCESTER — Yesterday, a Worcester County grand jury indicted Jonathan Reyes, 43, of Clifton, New Jersey, on a charge of manslaughter and multiple firearms-related offenses in connection with the fatal shooting of his stepfather, Luis Mejia, 63, of Fitchburg.
According to a statement from Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr., in addition to manslaughter, Reyes was indicted on one count each of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling, and carrying a firearm without a license.
According to Fitchburg police, on Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025, at about 12:15 a.m., Reyes was seated in the front passenger seat of a 2017 Honda Ridgeline parked in the driveway of a residence on Mechanic Street when he retrieved and handled a handgun from the center console, which discharged and struck his stepfather, Luis Mejia, in the left rib area as Mejia stood outside the driver-side window speaking with the driver.
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When police arrived on scene, they located Mejia suffering from a gunshot wound outside the vehicle. Mejia was transported to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 1 a.m.
Reyes was arraigned in Fitchburg District Court in August. Yesterday’s indictments move the case to Worcester County Superior Court, where Reyes is scheduled to be arraigned on Jan. 8, 2026, according to the district attorney’s office.
