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Mattapoisett Homicide: Rare Crime Stuns Small Town
2 Jul
Summary
- A 33-year-old man faces murder charges in the shooting death.
- The victim was found dying in his driveway on June 30.
- This marks only the third homicide in Mattapoisett in 40 years.
A recent homicide has profoundly shaken the seaside community of Mattapoisett, a town unaccustomed to such violence. On Tuesday, June 30, James Rizza, 57, was fatally shot at his home and found dying in his driveway. Nicholas Bottella, 33, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder, with the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office alleging a past neighbor dispute between the two men.
This tragic event is exceptionally rare for Mattapoisett. FBI statistics indicate that over the past decade, the town has logged only 103 violent crimes in total. The killing of James Rizza is only the third homicide recorded in Mattapoisett in almost 40 years. Previous homicides include a murder-suicide in 2009 and a fatal shooting in 1998.
Following the discovery of Rizza, police located Bottella's vehicle and pursued him, ending in a vehicle chase that concluded in nearby Marion. Bottella is currently held without bail as the investigation proceeds, facing serious charges that carry a life sentence if convicted of first-degree murder.
