Fall River man sentenced to life in state prison for 2022 murder

Fall River man sentenced to life in state prison for 2022 murder

Published on Thursday, July 30, 2026

Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced today that a Fall River man has been sentenced in Providence County Superior Court to life in prison for the murder of 35-year-old Biniam Tsegai and the shooting of 28-year-old Merhawi Berhe in 2022.

On July 30, 2026, at a hearing before Superior Court Justice Robert D. Krause, Je'avonie Dorvil (age 22) was sentenced to life at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI). The life sentence will run consecutively to a 60-year sentence, with 40 years to serve at the ACI and 20-year suspended sentence.

On April 14, 2026, following the conclusion of a 10-day trial, a jury found the defendant guilty of one count of second-degree murder, two counts of discharging a firearm while committing a crime of violence, once count of assault with a dangerous weapon resulting in serious bodily injury, one count of carrying a pistol without a license, and one count of possession of a stolen firearm.

"This defendant escalated a verbal altercation to murder, and because of that decision, Biniam's life was taken much too soon, and Merhawi's life was forever changed," said Attorney General Neronha. "While nothing can bring Biniam back, I hope his family and friends can find some semblance of peace knowing justice will be served with this life sentence. Finally, I want to thank the attorneys in my Office and the Providence Police Department, as well as our law enforcement partners in Massachusetts, for their hard work on this difficult case."

During the trial, the State proved beyond a reasonable doubt that on January 16, 2022, the defendant shot and killed Biniam Tsegai, and shot and injured Merhawi Berhe, at the intersection of Elwood Avenue and Potters Avenue in Providence.

On January 16, 2022, at approximately 2:54 am, Providence Police responded to the intersection of Elmwood Avenue and Potters Avenue in Providence. Upon their arrival, police found 35-year-old Biniam Tsegai on the ground and 28-year-old Merhawi Berhe inside of a car, both suffering from several gunshot wounds. Emergency personnel transported both victims to Rhode Island Hospital, where Tsegai was pronounced deceased at 3:20am.

At the scene, investigators found eight .380 shell casings. Additionally, police obtained surveillance video footage from several locations near the intersection, which showed two groups of males - one including the defendant, the other including the two victims - crossing paths near the intersection. After a verbal exchange, the defendant is seen removing a firearm from his waistband and firing multiple times at the two victims before fleeing the scene.

Providence Police sent screenshots of the subjects in the video to the Boston Regional Intelligence Center (BRIC). Subsequently, BRIC circulated the images to law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts. Police then began to receive information from several agencies, including the Fall River Police Department, the Boston Police Department, and the Massachusetts State Police, which allowed them to identify the defendant and arrest him on January 26, 2022.

On June 2, 2022, Rhode Island State Police seized a firearm found by Department of Transportation workers near an exit during maintenance work on Route 95 North in Pawtucket. A NIBIN lead indicated that the firearm matched the .380 shell casings recovered from the scene. A subsequent check revealed the firearm had been previously stolen out of Derry, New Hampshire.

"This life sentence sends a message that gun violence will not be tolerated in our community," said Providence Police Colonel Oscar L. Perez Jr. "I hope that this sentencing allows the victims' families to feel a sense of closure. I commend the outstanding work by our officers and investigators, as well as our partners at the Attorney General's Office."

Assistant Attorney General Jim Baum and Special Assistant Attorney General Gregory Moore of the Attorney General's Office and Detective Ray Majeau of the Providence Police Department led the investigation and prosecution of the case.

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