James Soares

Case record: James Soares

Background

James Soares Jr. was the son of James Soares Sr. and Marian Soares.

In 2002, James Soares was indicted in the federal system on a charge of unlawfully possessing firearms as a convicted felon. In July of that year, police seized 12 long rifles, three handguns, and about 30,000 rounds of ammunition from the Soares home. Soares pleaded guilty to the firearms charge and was placed on home confinement for one year and five years’ probation.

In 1986, James Soares and his wife were arrested on drug-possession charges after a police raid of their home recovered cocaine, Valium, the tranquilizer drug Ativan, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, a .357 Magnum, and $1,350. James Soares pleaded no contest to a felony drug-possession charge. The court imposed a three-year suspended sentence and placed Soares on probation for five years. Court records did not show a disposition of Marian Soares’ case.

The offence

James Soares Jr. was charged with bludgeoning his parents, James Soares Sr. and Marian Soares, to death with a garden hoe.

At sentencing, the judge referred to Soares murdering his parents by striking them with a grub ax and then shoving their bodies into a cesspool in the backyard of their home on Baltimore Avenue in Warren.

State police alleged that James Jr. killed his 60-year-old father and 53-year-old mother about three weeks earlier at the family home with a foot-long grub hoe. One end of the garden tool looked like a sledge hammer, and police believed that part of the hoe was used in the slayings.

Police believe Soares used a garden hoe to kill his parents on July 9, then dragged their bodies to an in-ground cesspool at the Warren home where they all lived.

The medical examiner concluded they died of blows to the back of their heads around July 7.

After the murders, Marian Soares’s absence from a reunion prompted family members to call police.

Investigation

Marian Soares was reported missing after she missed a family reunion.

Police went to the couple’s house in Warren and excavated the yard with a backhoe. Authorities found the bodies in a septic tank in their backyard.

Police removed two body bags with their remains, along with several bags of dirt.

A search dog was brought to the house Thursday night.

As officers investigated, James A. Soares Jr.’s story kept changing. He first said his parents were on a motorcycle trip. He then said his father had left his mother for a woman he’d met on the Internet, and that his mother was in Massachusetts. Police found a pool of Marian’s blood in a closet. Soares said his father had killed his mother and fled with the body. Later, on July 25, he reported that his father killed his mother, but he killed his father and dumped their bodies in the cesspool.

Police described James Soares Jr. as the prime suspect early in the investigation based on police interviews and took him into custody on Friday.

State police Major Steven O’Donnell said police believed Soares killed his parents on July 9.

Assistant Attorney General Stacey P. Veroni told the court that officers found a pool of Marian’s blood in a closet, and recounted the changing statements given by Soares.

Police took a family member into custody on Saturday, but would not elaborate.

During the investigation, neither state nor local police would discuss a motive.

Arrest

James Soares Jr. was charged Sunday with the murders of 60-year-old James Soares Sr. and 53-year-old Marian Soares.

He was being held until his arraignment at district court in Providence.

James Soares was taken into custody at his home on Friday.

He appeared in Providence District Court on Monday, a day after the charges were filed, and was remanded without bail pending a formal court appearance.

A bail hearing was scheduled for Aug. 8.

In court Monday, Soares said he couldn’t afford an attorney, so a public defender would be appointed to him.

Trial

James Soares pleaded guilty.

At sentencing, Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. questioned Soares’ claims that his mother sexually, emotionally, and physically abused her only biological son, calling Soares a cold-blooded killer driven by greed.

Soares’ lawyer, John E. Lovoy, argued for concurrent life terms and said sexual abuse could explain why a man with no history of violence suddenly snap. Lovoy noted statements by family members that Marian had been sexually abused by her father, and said it was not unusual for people who are abused to repeat the pattern.

Veroni dismissed Soares’ allegations of abuse by his mother as lies to gain leniency.

Sentencing

James A. Soares Jr. was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for killing his parents.

The judge questioned Soares’ claims of abuse and said Soares had murdered his parents with premeditation and calculation in July 2008 because he wanted their money, cars, and home to share with his girlfriend, Nicole L. Pacheco.

Soares received, in addition to the two life sentences for first-degree murder, concurrent terms for failing to report his parents’ deaths, conspiring with Pacheco to use his parents’ credit cards, and fraudulent use of a credit card.

Soares was eligible for parole in 40 years.

Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch said Soares’ crimes did not qualify for life without parole, and said there was solace in the fact that Soares would be in prison for a minimum of 40 years before being eligible for parole.

Appeals

No appeal information was provided.

Outcome

James Soares pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences; the record stated he would be eligible for parole in 40 years.

Pacheco, 22, of Bristol, pleaded no contest in December to 64 financial crimes and was sentenced to five years in prison.

Timeline

• 1986 — James Soares and his wife were arrested on drug-possession charges after a police raid recovered cocaine, Valium, Ativan, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, a .357 Magnum, and $1,350.
• 2002 — James Soares was indicted in federal court on a charge of unlawfully possessing firearms as a convicted felon; police seized 12 long rifles, three handguns, and about 30,000 rounds of ammunition from the Soares home; Soares pleaded guilty and was placed on home confinement for one year and five years’ probation.
• July 9, 2008 — Police believed Soares killed his parents with a garden hoe.
• July 7, 2008 (approx.) — The medical examiner concluded the victims died of blows to the back of their heads around this time.
• July 15, 2008 — Marian Soares was reported missing after she missed a family reunion; family members reported the two missing.
• July 25, 2008 — Soares reported that his father killed his mother, then said he killed his father and dumped their bodies in the cesspool.
• Saturday, July 26, 2008 — Police excavated the yard in Warren and found the bodies of James Soares Sr. and Marian Soares in a septic tank.
• Friday, July 26, 2008 — Police took James Soares Jr. into custody.
• Sunday, July 27, 2008 — Soares was charged with the murders of James Soares Sr. and Marian Soares.
• Monday, July 28, 2008 (court appearance) — Soares appeared in Providence District Court and was remanded without bail; a public defender would be appointed because he said he couldn’t afford an attorney; a bail hearing was scheduled for Aug. 8.
• Tuesday, July 22, 2010 — Soares was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for killing his parents.

Other details

The police described James Soares Sr. as white, 5 feet 11 inches tall, and 160 pounds, with dark gray hair and brown eyes. They described Marian Soares as white, 5 feet 4 inches tall, and 165 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.

The murders occurred at the family home at 14 Baltimore Avenue in Warren.

The Providence Journal reported that a family member had been arrested but no one had been charged when the bodies were discovered.

State and local police did not comment on motive or whether Soares confessed.

David Rasmussen, a former neighbor, said there had been tensions between parents and son, and described “There was a certain amount of distrust Marian had with the kid and the kid’s friends,” adding that Rasmussen now lived in Glocester.

At sentencing, the judge said, “There’s nothing worse than that in this court’s judgment.”

The judge, during sentencing, stated “Did they see it coming?” in the context of testimony at sentencing.

Dawn Viera said, “I think ‘Did they see it coming?’ ” and “God, I hope not.” She also told Soares, “I call you an evil coward.”

Sherri Thornton said she wished Rhode Island had a death penalty and said, “They’re dead, he should be dead,” and asked that his time be served in solitary confinement, saying “He should have to be alone with his haunting memories of murdering his mother.”

After the sentence, family members declined to speak with the media, and Viera said to the Warren police, “Thank you. Thank you, very much."