Kendell Bliss was arraigned in District Court, Providence, yesterday on a murder charge in the death of Leonardo Manzano in Providence on Aug. 16.

The Providence Journal / Kathy Borchers

ACI inmate charged in August slaying

PROVIDENCE — Kendell “Buck” Bliss, 18, who has been serving a prison sentence as a bail violator in a drug case, was charged yesterday in the slaying of Leonardo Manzano in Wanskuck on Aug. 16.

Manzano was fatally shot, according to law enforcement authorities, as he tried to sell marijuana and Ecstasy tablets on Clym Street, near the Chad Brown public housing complex where Bliss lived at 57 Berkshire St.

The alleged murder weapon was a .357-Magnum handgun, and during a search of Bliss’ apartment on Oct. 23, the police said they found the gun hidden inside a television set in the bedroom of Bliss’ brother Terrell, according to Michael J. Healey, spokesman for the attorney general’s office.

Bliss is charged with murder; discharging a firearm while committing a crime of violence, death resulting; first-degree robbery; conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery; and possession of a firearm without a license.

He was brought to District Court from the Adult Correctional Institutions for arraignment on the charges before Judge Pamela Woodcock Pfeiffer.

Manzano, 19, of 204 Saratoga St., was shot once in the back just after having gotten into a car.

— Gregory Smith

4 Coventry students arrested for fighting

COVENTRY — The police have arrested four students from Coventry High School involved in a Tuesday morning scuffle that disrupted the start of school and spawned rumors of guns and gang activity at the school.

The students, whose grades and ages the police would not divulge, were charged on Tuesday with disorderly assault and released to their parents, said Col. Ronald DaSilva.

DaSilva said that the call was a regular patrol response to a disturbance. He said there were no weapons recovered, or any suspected gang activity. The students, some of whom will be referred to Juvenile Court, will likely be suspended, said Supt. Kenneth R. DiPietro.

The incident happened at 7:10 a.m., before the morning school bell, when a fight erupted between three students, according to DiPietro. As other students looked on and administrators stepped in to stop the altercation, a fourth student began to use language that caused concern, DiPietro said.

After the police arrived, principal Michael Hobin ordered all students to their classrooms without going to their lockers. Letters, or e-mail, were sent home describing what happened to assure parents that the school was safe, DiPietro said.

On Wednesday, school officials increased the police presence as a precaution. Despite the letter home, the school district received about 40 calls throughout the day about the incident, with callers asking about guns, violence or gang activity, DiPietro said. Yesterday, the police presence was reduced.

“We wanted to make sure there would be no additional problems,” he said.

— Lisa Vernon-Sparks

Scituate man charged with illegal dumping

JOHNSTON — A 26-year-old Scituate man was arrested yesterday morning and charged with dumping waste from Massachusetts at Rhode Island’s Central Landfill, the authorities said.

Frank J. Martinelli, of 56 Peeptoad Rd., Scituate, was arrested shortly after he and another worker arrived at the landfill’s tipping station around 9 a.m. and began to toss garbage from Webster, Mass., said police Chief Richard S. Tamburini.

Martinelli continued dumping material after an inspector determined that the debris was from out of state and ordered him to stop, Tamburini said.

As a result of the incident, the owner of Martinelli’s company, David Spaziano, of Da Vinci Landscaping, has lost his privilege to dispose of waste at the landfill, Tamburini said.

Martinelli appeared in District Court, Warwick, and is scheduled to appear Jan. 28 in Superior Court.

— Mark Reynolds