Law enforcement officials have finally confirmed that the torso found by the crew of the Westport fishing boat TNT, owned by Brian Tripp, about a mile and a quarter south of the harbor entrance and beach on August 19, 2015, was the body of Kerry Mello of Cranston, RI.

Not previously announced was that, two days after that torso discovery, two severed legs were found on a beach in Little Compton close to the Westport line.

Those legs were also identified as belonging to Mr. Mello.

Both the Bristol County (Mass.) District Attorney’s Office and RI State Police repeatedly declined comment over the past year when asked if there was a connection between the torso discovery and Mr. Mello’s disappearance.

Contributing to that speculation was the fact that RI State Police became the lead investigative agency even though the body was found in Westport.

On Thursday, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin and Colonel Steven G. O’Donnell, superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and Commissioner of Public Safety, announced the arrest and indictment of four individuals charged with the murder of Mello, 36.

On April 20, 2016, the Statewide Grand Jury returned secret and sealed indictments in connection with the death of Kerry Mello in August 2015.  Kerry Mello was last seen on August 10, 2015 and reported missing to the Cranston Police shortly after.

The Rhode Island State Police have been working on this investigation with the Massachusetts State Police, Cranston and Warwick Police Departments, the United States Coast Guard, and the Rhode Island Office of Attorney General. Assisting as well were police in Westport and Little Compton.

The Grand Jury Returned indictments against Jamie Barriera, 35, of Louisiana Avenue, Warwick; Francisco Concepcion, 36, of Louisiana Avenue, Warwick; Albert Barriera, 61, the father of Jamie Barreira, of Shannon Drive, Warwick; and Graig Bustillo, 39, of Adelaide Avenue, Providence.

All four defendants were charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and mutilation of a dead human body.

Arrest warrants were executed in the early morning hours today, April 21, 2016, and each defendant was arrested at home. All four defendants were arraigned today in Kent County Superior Court before Justice Joseph A. Montalbano and were ordered held without bail.  Bail hearings have been scheduled for May 5, 2016.

The investigation revealed that Jamie Barreira was involved in growing marijuana.  At some point in the summer of 2015, a significant quantity of marijuana and currency was stolen from him.  Kerry Mello, an associate of Jamie Barreira, was suspected by him to have been the culprit.

As a result, the investigation revealed that Jamie Barreira lured Mello to Albert Barriera’s home on Shannon Drive in Warwick, where he was killed and dismembered.  His body was disposed of at sea.

The indictments unsealed today allege that the individuals charged acted in concert to cause the death of Kerry Mello.
This remains an ongoing investigation.

State Police Detective Adam Kennett led the investigation and Special Assistant Attorney General Timothy Healy handled the arraignments on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.

The discovery

Mr. Mello’s torso was found near the bell buoy about a mile and a quarter south of the beach and the harbor entrance.

The fishermen called the Coast Guard which notified Westport. Harbormaster assistants Jonathan Paull and Chris Leonard went out in the harbormaster boat and located the body south of the harbor entrance.
Initial reports were that the body was wrapped up in some sort of bag, said Harbormaster Richie Earle.

The two notified Westport Police who dispatched an officer. Harbormaster Earle, the Westport officer and State Police went out in the town police boat.
Photos were taken and then the body was brought aboard the boat on a litter and taken ashore.

The medical examiner’s office (Cape Cod) arrived at the harbormaster’s office and took the body off for examination as to cause of death. From then until now there was no comment as to identity or cause of death.