Steven Andre, 22, was arrested and charged with the murders of two Chelsea men who were shot in a Chester Avenue apartment last week. State and Chelsea Police Detectives took Andre into custody without incident on Tuesday. He entered a plea of not guilty to two counts of murder. Following a court hearing in Chelsea District Court on Tuesday, Andre was held without bail. His last known address was in Malden. According to prosecutors from Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley’s office, Andre allegedly spent up to three weeks planning the killings of Chelsea residents Angel Acevedo and Jenret Appleberry before executing them early on Labor Day morning.
Assistant District Attorney John Pappas presented evidence to Chelsea District Court Judge Diana Moldonado that Andre was acquainted with both victims and had been to their Chester Avenue residence multiple times. “Without warning and without provocation, without justification or excuse, this defendant shot Angel Acevedo and Jenret Appleberry, who were unarmed at the time,” Pappas told the court. “It is believed one of the victims was shot as he slept,” he added. Pappas explained that following the murders, Andre searched the victims’ apartment for money and attempted to destroy evidence by cleaning surfaces and collecting at least one shell casing. “The defendant also made specific threats to retaliate against any potential witnesses or their families if they spoke to the police,” Pappas added. “The defendant also allegedly made statements that he had planned out his attack on Acevedo and Applebury during the three weeks preceding the murders.” The investigation remains active and ongoing, according to Pappas and police, who continue to look into possible motives and potential accomplices.
The double homicide has deeply affected the Chelsea community. Friends and family members of the victims are grieving, as both men were prominent figures in the town. On Chelsearcord.com, numerous residents and people who knew the deceased have shared their reactions to newspaper coverage of the crime. While some have voiced anger about how the story was reported, others have raised broader questions about why such violence occurs in Chelsea and what it signifies for the community.