4 days ago
Boston teen pleads guilty to manslaughter in deadly attack on woman after social media feud
Suffolk Assistant District Attorney Nathan McGregor told Ames the fatal stabbing arose from 'a feud over social media and escalated into a face to face encounter.'
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On Feb. 11, 2023, Mejia Matos, then 16, learned that her 'on again, off again' boyfriend had been seeing another girl while Mejia Matos was in the Dominican Republic for several months, McGregor said.
Mejia Matos later learned that a 'sex video' depicting her and the boyfriend had been published to social media, McGregor said. Mejia Matos believed that the other girl, the 17-year-old victim of the attack who survived, had published the video, according to McGregor.
'Brianna Brown, who was like a big sister to [surviving victim] inserted herself into the fray, and the three young women exchanged insults over Snapchat and voice text,' McGregor said.
Mejia Matos challenged the 17-year-old to a fight in Mattapan, McGregor said, but the pair eventually decided on a location in Jamaica Plain across the street from the E-13 police station.
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Mejia Matos took her boyfriend and another friend with her.
'They took two buses to Jamaica Plain on the way, Mejia sent Brown and [the survivor] voice texts that were vulgar in nature and in very direct language, threatened to kill Rosario,' McGregor said. 'She also shared her location over Snapchat so that the victims could see that she was in fact coming.'
The initial encounter between the three women is on video, according to McGregor.
As McGregor spoke about the stabbing of Brown, a family member of Brown covered her eyes as tears rushed down her face. She let out a soft sob. Brown's mother put her arm around the girl.
Mejia Matos showed little emotion as she pleaded guilty to manslaughter and aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, serious bodily injury.
Brown's family were straight faced as Mejia Matos answered the judge's questions so quietly she was asked to speak up.
When Ames asked if Mejia Matos had ever been treated for a mental illness or mental condition, she said she had 'depression and PTSD.' Mejia Matos said she takes medication for PTSD.
The hearing is continuing as of 11:58 a.m.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
The hearing is continuing as of 11:58 a.m.
John R. Ellement of the Globe Staff contributed to this report.
Ava Berger can be reached at
