Pineda
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WV News) — The suspect in a Clarksburg homicide has died in jail, according to Harrison County Prosecutor Rachel Romano.
Romano said she didn’t have any further official details in the death of Ulices Alexander Pineda, 44, of Bridgeport and formerly of Illinois.
A message left with state spokesman Andy Malinoski wasn’t immediately returned.
Pineda had been awaiting trial in July on charges of murder and presentation of a firearm, as well as two unlawful firearms charges alleging he had a prior felony drug conviction in Illinois.
Pineda was accused of killing David Matthew “Matsy” Mazza, 46, of Clarksburg on June 13, 2023, in North View.
Law enforcement reported finding a .40 caliber pistol and a .22 LR revolver, as well as ammunition, inside a safe at Pineda’s James Street apartment in Bridgeport following Mazza’s homicide.
Law enforcement alleged that surveillance video showed Pineda shooting Mazza from behind, including at close range while standing over Mazza after he fell violently to the ground.
Mazza was shot four times, according to the criminal complaint filed by Clarksburg Police Detective Sgt. William “Bill” Swiger.
Mazza died the same day at WVU Medicine United Hospital Center.
Romano said the state had planned to take the case to trial, unless Pineda had taken the extremely unlikely step of pleading guilty to first-degree murder and putting in the hands of a judge, instead of a jury, whether he would have faced life without parole.
“The Clarksburg Police Department, members of the Harrison County Drug (& Violent Crimes) Task Force, the U.S. Attorney’s Office investigator and ATF agents did exhaustive work on this case,” Romano said, “and I can’t say enough about how thorough they were and how they left no stone unturned during this investigation.
“The collective years of experience and knowledge of the law enforcement officers involved and the investigation they produced on this case made it one that the state looked forward to taking to trial.”
Romano added that her assistant prosecutor, Brad Pustolski, had been putting in long hours along with her in preparing for the case.
“And,” she said, “I hope the Mazza and Rogers families find some solace and closure in knowing this.”
Pineda’s attorney, Tom Dyer, declined to comment.
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