A tragic discovery at a Boston residence has taken a significant turn after investigators released a new finding in the case.
The development comes as detectives continue working to determine exactly what happened and whether anyone will face criminal charges.
The investigation has also drawn additional public attention because of the property’s ownership, although authorities have not suggested that the owners are suspects.
As the case moves forward, police are continuing to seek evidence and answers surrounding the victim’s death.
Boston police say the death of an 18-year-old woman whose body was found inside a property owned by the husband of Rep. Ayanna Pressley has officially been ruled a homicide by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
According to the Boston Police Department, officers responded to a multi-family home on Malta Road in the Mattapan neighborhood shortly before 2 p.m. on July 18 to investigate a report involving a person.
When officers arrived, they found 18-year-old Yoseliani Ann Marte Ocasio suffering from what authorities described as an apparent gunshot wound.
Ocasio was pronounced dead at the scene.
On Thursday, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that her death was a homicide, a finding that confirms the manner of death but does not identify a suspect or establish who may be responsible.
Police have not announced any arrests in the case, and investigators have not publicly identified a motive.
Boston 25 News previously reported that Ocasio’s mother, Elenie Ocasio, believed her daughter had been the victim of a homicide before the medical examiner’s official ruling was released.
Property records reviewed by Boston 25 News indicate the multi-family residence is owned by Conan Harris, the husband of Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Ayanna Pressley.
The property had previously been listed for sale for approximately $1.15 million but has since been removed from the market, according to real estate listings.
Authorities have not publicly indicated that Pressley, Harris or anyone connected to the property’s ownership is suspected of wrongdoing, and investigators have not announced any evidence linking the owners to the victim’s death.
The Boston Police Department has continued gathering evidence while working to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting and identify any individuals who may have been involved.
As is common in homicide investigations, detectives are expected to review forensic evidence, interview witnesses and examine any available surveillance footage as the investigation continues.
The homicide ruling marks an important step in the case by establishing that Ocasio’s death was caused by the actions of another person, but many key questions remain unanswered, including who was responsible and what led to the fatal shooting.
Police are continuing to investigate, and authorities have asked anyone with information about the case to come forward as detectives work to determine what happened and whether criminal charges will ultimately be filed.
Before police officially identified the victim, her family identified her as 18-year-old Yoseliani Marte in a GoFundMe campaign created by her mother.
In the fundraiser, Marte’s mother said her daughter was killed as a “result of domestic violence.”
One neighbor told reporters the usually serene neighborhood was rocked by the large police response Saturday.
“We got home, and there were police coming down the street; they blocked off with crime tape over there, and neighbors gathered around,” a neighbor said, Boston 25 News reported.
“I mean, it’s sad, it’s really sad because you know this neighborhood is a wonderful place to be,” the neighbor added.
A neighbor identified only as Cherill told the Globe that Boston police raided the property approximately two months ago.
According to Cherill, tenants occupied both units of the building at the time of the raid, including several high school-aged teenagers.
She added that, aside from that incident, the Mattapan neighborhood has remained relatively quiet during the 10 years she has lived there.
