Man Accused Of Beating Homeless Man To Death In Charlestown

CHARLESTOWN, MA—The man accused of fatally beating a homeless man as he slept in a Charlestown park was indicted Tuesday in the man’s murder, Boston Police Commissioner William Gross and Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas announced Wednesday.

The Suffolk County Grand Jury yesterday charged Clifton Moore, 30, with first-degree murder in the September attack that claimed the life of Joshua Rivera,54. Moore is already in custody on a separate assault case in Middlesex County.

“Like too many people, Mr. Rivera was particularly vulnerable as he slept outside with no place to call home,” Pappas said. “I want to commend the Boston Police detectives and Suffolk prosecutors who committed themselves to speaking for him, and I’m especially grateful to the witnesses who stepped forward to share what they saw and what they knew. They were absolutely critical in helping us build this case.”

Witnesses told police that early on Sept. 6 on the Ryan Playground, they saw a man wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt wielding a long item, possibly a stick or a bat. The witnesses said they saw this man repeatedly strike what they initially thought was an empty park bench. After he left, the witnesses found Rivera’s body on the bench and called 911.

Rivera suffered multiple blunt force injuries to the head and died at the scene.

MBTA public safety cameras captured a man matching the assailant’s clothing description and carrying a backpack and baseball bat as he entered the park a short time before the attack. The footage shows him leaving the park about a minute and a half later, prosecutors said.

Moore, whose build is consistent with that of the Ryan Playground assailant, was arrested approximately one month later by Somerville Police in connection with assaulting a woman with a baseball bat in that city. At the time of his arrest, he was wearing a backpack and shoes similar to those clearly visible in the MBTA footage.

Also in Charlestown: Men With Gun Chase Charlestown Resident Into His Home

Never miss another local news story: Get free local news alerts right to your inbox.

Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch Staff