Second suspect charged in fatal shooting case
October 25, 2024 | By Alan J. Keays | VTDigger 
State police vehicles at the scene of the Oct. 14 shooting in Waterbury that left one man dead and a second critically injured. Photo by Alan Keays/VTDigger
A Massachusetts teen is facing a felony charge for his alleged role in a fatal shooting more than a week ago in Waterbury.
Samuel Niyonsenga, 18, of Springfield, Massachusetts, through his attorney, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to the felony charge of aiding in the commission of second-degree murder in the death of Shawn Spiker, 34, of Croydon, New Hampshire.
Fabrice Rumama, 20, also of Springfield, Massachusetts, allegedly fired the gun in the fatal shooting over a drug debt. He pleaded not guilty earlier this week to a felony charge of second-degree murder and was ordered held without bail.
Niyonsenga allegedly was in a vehicle with Rumama when they arrived at a residence at the Kneeland Flats Trailer Park in Waterbury where the shooting took place during the early morning hours of Oct. 14, according to charging documents.
A third person driving the vehicle told investigators that upon arriving at the residence he was told where to park and to stay put as both Rumama, whom he knew as “Savage,” and Niyonsenga, whom he knew as “Smitty,” would be back soon, according to the charging documents.
The driver reported waiting about 5 minutes. During that time, he told investigators that he became nervous after hearing several gunshots and began to leave, the court filing stated.
“While leaving, ‘Savage’ and ‘Smitty’ approached his vehicle and knocked on his vehicle windows,” the charging documents stated. “Both entered his vehicle and threatened him to drive or get shot.”
Washington County State’s Attorney Michelle Donnelly, the prosecutor, argued during Niyonsenga’s arraignment Wednesday in Washington County Superior criminal court that Niyonsenga should be held in custody without bail.
“The affidavit of probable cause alleges that (Niyonsenga) traveled with Fabrice Rumama and was present and carrying a firearm when Fabrice Rumama shot Shawn Spiker multiple times causing his death,” Donnelly wrote in a court filing.
She also told Judge Michael Harris in court, “The crime of aiding in the commission of a felony — the defendant is eligible to be punished as would the principal of that crime.”
If convicted of the offense, Niyonsenga faces up to 20 years to life in prison.
Michael Perry, 57, of Waterbury, was also shot and injured at the Kneeland Flats Trailer Park residence, according to police, and was taken to the University of Vermont Medical Center for treatment.
No one has been charged in Perry’s shooting.
Niyonsenga was back in court Thursday in Barre on the charge of aiding in the commission of murder. The hearing took place to determine where he should be held, as well as the conditions of that confinement.
Under Vermont law, a person is considered a juvenile up to age 19, according to Donnelly. But since 2020 when the state closed its only secure detention facility for minors amid accusations of mistreatment, it has struggled to find suitable places to hold juveniles facing serious offenses in adult courts. Officials have recently proposed building a new facility for justice-involved youth in Vergennes.
A stipulation approved Thursday by Judge Harris allows for Niyonsenga to be held in the general population at an adult correctional center rather than kept away from other incarcerated individuals at a facility in conditions much like solitary confinement.
Joshua Rutherford, operations director for the Vermont Department of Corrections, testified during the hearing Thursday that there are currently three 18-year-olds being held in adult correctional facilities in Vermont, including Niyonsenga.
Niyonsenga is also facing a felony charge in Orange County of fentanyl trafficking and entered a not guilty plea to that offense during an arraignment earlier this week.