17-Year-Old Charged for October Murder of Brodie Slonski
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A 17-year-old has been charged with the October murder of another 17-year-old over vapes.
On Wednesday, Sergio Ponce of Pittsfield, was arraigned in Pittsfield District Court on a murder charge in the fatal shooting of Brodie Slonski on Oct. 26. Ponce was arrested on Oct. 29 on an outstanding warrant for a separate incident involving a gun, and evidence was based on witness accounts, phone records, and surveillance videos.
Ponce is the second of two young men to be charged for Slonski's killing. This follows the arraignment of Jaequan Spratling on Friday for allegedly leading Slonski to the scene of the shooting while communicating through Snapchat from his home nearby.
"Spratling and Ponce most likely worked together to communicate with Slonski to have him arrive on Franco Terrace where Ponce would rob Slonski of money or vapes," the probable cause report reads, further explaining that Slonski was a victim in a similar incident approximately four days prior when he was given fake money in exchange for the disposable vapes he was selling. Police said some of those individuals are associated with Ponce.
"It is probable that Ponce and Spratling were aware of that incident and viewed Slonski as an easy target," the police report reads.
Slonski, a Taconic High School student, was found shot in his car after it crashed into a tree at the intersection of Franco Terrace and Parker Street on the evening of Oct. 26. First responders discovered the gunshot wound as he was being removed from the vehicle; he was taken to Berkshire Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Injuries on Ponce's face and that Slonski was holding his backpack when police discovered him indicated to investigators that he may have fought back during the incident. The report concludes that Slonski's death was a result of actions taken by Ponce and Spratling.
Police believe that Spratling was communicating with Slonski from his Tyler Street home to set up the meeting while Ponce waited near Franco Terrace.
Two cell phones were found inside the white Honda HR-V that Slonski was driving, and a Snapchat conversation was discovered between "greenbadoon," which was confirmed to be Slonski, and "ebkquis3948."
According to police, during the conversation, the two agreed to meet on Franco Terrace near Parker Street. Slonski notified "ebkquis3948" that he had arrived, and "ebkquis3948" said he was about to see him and asked what type of car Slonski was in. This message was sent just before 6:08 p.m., and investigators believed the shooting happened around 6:09 p.m.
Spratling denied being on the other end of the Snapchat line when asked by police, saying the Snapchat account wasn't his, and later asked to speak with a lawyer.
A witness who lives with Spratling reportedly changed her story several times regarding how many people were in the home at the time of the homicide.
"She eventually admitted that her boyfriend, Sergio Ponce, was present but claimed that he had left the residence approximately 30 minutes before the homicide and exited out of the rear door of 648 Tyler Street when he left," the report reads.
"She stated that he walked home and is unsure of where he lives. She believed that he was wearing gray clothing when he left but could be wrong."
When her phone was searched, police found a call from a "Sergio" six minutes after the homicide, as well as a text from Ponce's mother asking if they had got in a fight because his face had injuries and 100 possible communications with "Sergio" from 6 to 10 p.m. on Oct. 26.
In the cell phone data were also videos of Ponce with a black 9mm Glock, and in one of them, racking the slide to show there is a live round in the chamber.
An unnamed witness, who is known to the Police Department, said Spratling was in the bathroom when Ponce left the home with what appeared to be a firearm in his waistband and wearing a black sweat shirt. The witness reported that Ponce returned frantic with blood splatter on his face and stated, "I just shot him. I just shot him."
Surveillance videos showed a person in dark clothing leave the Tyler Street home and walk toward Parker Street just before the shooting, followed by a person approaching Slonski's car as it arrives on Franco Terrace, and then a person in dark clothes running up Park Street just after.
About three minutes after the person returns to the Tyler Street home, they can be seen exiting in gray clothing and eventually arriving on Norman Avenue, where records show that Ponce lives.
On Oct. 28, investigators were notified of an alleged assault with a firearm that occurred on Oct. 24. Reportedly, Ponce was with a couple of other individuals at the Pittsfield Halloween Parade when he became aggressive, and an argument ensued, to which the victims said Ponce pulled out a gun, clocked it, and pointed it at them.
This was two days before the homicide. One of the victims reported seeing Ponce post the gun on social media.
Tags: murder, shooting,
