Dominican man extradited back to Massachusetts arraigned for house party killing

A man who fled to the Dominican Republic before he could be arrested and charged with murder has been extradited back to the Bay State and arraigned for the alleged house party killing he s suspected in Dominican man Jose Sanchez was held without bail on Monday after pleading not guilty to the murder of Lawrence man Luis Mendez The Lawrence man was years old when he was shot to death at a house party in the basement of Area St on April Sanchez was charged with murder following Mendez s death but he fled prior to his arrest Then in October of Sanchez was apprehended in the Dominican Republic where he remained until his extradition to the U S last Friday Sanchez was arraigned in Lawrence District Court on Monday We extend our sincere gratitude to the United States Department of Justice for their collaboration and commitment to inhabitants safety which were instrumental in the thriving extradition of the defendant Essex DA Paul Tucker noted in a report Further I would like to thank all of our law enforcement partners whose diligent work on this matter made in the modern day s arraignment feasible Tucker added Related Articles Karen Read retrial jury sent home for weekend Karen Read retrial Day Attorneys prep for closings Karen Read defense situation is double as long as last year Will it end this week Playground goes up in Duxbury in honor of slain Clancy children Karen Read Day Snowplow driver says he saw no body on yard Det Kevin Nigohosian Sgt Christopher Cote and the Lawrence Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Office of the Essex District Attorney investigated the occurrence The Department of Justice coordinated Sanchez s return to the U S to face the murder charge along with the Marshals Organization the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section Essex County Sherriff Kevin Coppinger and the Lawrence Police Department