When officers arrived, they found Stuart Smith unresponsive in front of a Toyota Rav 4, police said. He was taken to the hospital, where he later died.
A preliminary investigation involving witness accounts and surveillance footage led detectives to determine that Vasco Semedo, 45, was behind the wheel of the Rav 4 when he ran into Smith and then backed up and drove into him again.Sign up for NECN newsletters. Semedo then allegedly got out of his SUV and used a brick to repeatedly hit Smith, who was laying on the ground.
The 45-year-old was arrested on scene and initially charged with attempted murder, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury and negligent operation of a motor vehicle. After Smith died, the charge was upgraded to murder. Police haven't said if Semedo and Smith were known to each other or provided any information on a possible motive.