Bernadette DePina

Bernadette DePina was a beloved and active member of her New Bedford, Massachusetts, community, known for her deep faith and commitment to helping others. A 49-year-old woman of Cape Verdean descent, she was a familiar and cherished presence at the Our Lady of Assumption church. For eight years, she and her husband dedicated their time to volunteering at the Bristol County jail, where they took inmates on three-day spiritual retreats, offering guidance and hope. A family member described her as "almost a saint," a woman who, even in the face of her own family's turmoil, prayed for the victims of the violence that surrounded them. Her life was one of service and compassion, which made her violent death all the more shocking to the city she called home.

The peace of a spring day was shattered on Thursday, May 25, 2006, when police were called to Bernadette’s home on Ash Street. Responding to a report of an unresponsive female just after noon, officers made a devastating discovery. Bernadette DePina was found deceased in her own bedroom, having been shot to death. The timing of her murder was alarming to investigators. It occurred just four days after her 23-year-old son, David "Crunchy" DePina II, was arrested and charged in connection with the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Justin M. Barry in what police believed was a gang-related incident.

The investigation into Bernadette’s murder was launched immediately, involving New Bedford police, Massachusetts State Police, and the FBI. From the outset, investigators strongly suspected her death was not a random act of violence but a calculated execution. The prevailing theory was that she was the victim of a revenge killing, an innocent mother targeted in retaliation for the slaying her son was accused of committing. The brutality of the crime sent a wave of fear through New Bedford, with city officials, including Mayor Scott W. Lang, publicly warning against any further escalation of the violence that had just claimed an innocent life.

The murder of a woman so dedicated to her community resonated far beyond New Bedford. Her case drew national attention and was profiled on the television show "America's Most Wanted" in an effort to generate leads. Detectives from the New Bedford Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police were in the studio the night the segment aired, waiting for the tip line to ring. Despite the national exposure, the public’s response was dishearteningly quiet. In the wake of the killing, civil rights icon and U.S. Representative John Lewis of Georgia traveled to New Bedford to lead a peace march, joined by Congressman Barney Frank and a massive crowd of community leaders, family, and friends who mourned the loss of a woman known for her kindness.

During his own murder trial in June 2009, David DePina took the stand and refused to name the other man who was with him during the shooting of Justin Barry. He cited the unsolved murder of his mother as the reason for his silence. "I fear for my life and my family's life," he told the court, explaining that his mother was "executed" in her bed. The judge instructed the jury that they could consider his refusal to answer when weighing his credibility. The father of Justin Barry, Corey L. Henderson, released a statement expressing his profound sorrow for the DePina family's loss. "It sorrowed me that I wasn't able to sit with Mrs. DePina, and break bread with her, and pray for the loss of both our sons," he said. "To my understanding, (DePina) was an incredible woman. She had my family in her prayers despite her own pain and her own loss."

Years have passed, but the murder of Bernadette DePina remains an open wound for her family and the city of New Bedford. Her case is a stark reminder of how gang violence can tragically claim the lives of the innocent, silencing a voice of peace and compassion. As of December 2024, her killing is still listed as an unsolved homicide by the Bristol County District Attorney's Office. Investigators continue to seek the information that will finally bring justice to the person or people responsible for her death.