Man Pleads Not Guilty in 2009 Murder of Massachusetts Woman

Heinsky Anacreon, 38, of Malden, Massachusetts, has entered a plea of not guilty to charges related to the 2009 death of 23-year-old Charline Rosemond. The charges, announced by Middlesex County prosecutors on April 10, include murder, misleading a police officer, and misleading an attorney. The indictment comes 16 years after Rosemond’s death, a case that has remained a focus for investigators.

Rosemond was last seen alive on April 7, 2009, in Somerville, a city located just north of Cambridge. Her body was discovered nearly a week later, on April 13, slumped inside her father’s car in a parking lot. The circumstances surrounding her death have been a source of ongoing investigation and speculation for over a decade.

Anacreon’s arraignment took place on May 12, where he formally denied all charges. Court documents obtained by USA TODAY confirm his plea of not guilty. C. Henry Fasoldt, Anacreon’s defense attorney, asserted his client’s innocence. "Mr. Anacreon looks forward to holding the government to its very high burden," Fasoldt stated, emphasizing that Anacreon maintains he did not kill Rosemond and believes someone else was responsible.

Another individual implicated in the case, Roberto Jeune, a friend of Rosemond’s, died of natural causes in Philadelphia on July 8, 2024. Jeune’s death adds another layer of complexity to the case, as he was a key figure in the events leading up to Rosemond’s murder, according to prosecutors.

At the time of her death, Rosemond resided with her family in Everett, a town situated approximately four miles from where her body was found. She worked at a car dealership and, according to accounts from friends and family, had been using her father’s car while saving up to purchase her own. Rosemond had aspirations of buying a used Lexus.

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan revealed during a press conference that Rosemond had withdrawn $4,100 on April 3, 2009, specifically to purchase the used car. Four days later, on April 7, after leaving work, Rosemond exchanged text messages with a friend until around 9:15 p.m. This was the last known contact anyone had with her.

Prosecutors allege that Rosemond considered Jeune to be one of her closest friends. Upon learning of her desire to buy a Lexus, Jeune reportedly offered to connect her with a potential seller. The prosecution claims that Anacreon, through his job at a used car dealership in Somerville, was able to locate a Lexus matching Rosemond’s requirements.

Investigators contend that Anacreon and Jeune orchestrated a plan to rob Rosemond, telling her she needed to pay in cash and luring her to a secluded parking lot. There, she was allegedly shot and killed. Ryan pointed out that Anacreon’s employer had a policy against cash-only transactions, accepting bank checks and other forms of payment.

Rosemond was fatally shot in the back of the head. The bullet passed through the headrest of the driver’s seat. Notably, the $4,100 cash she withdrew was not found at the scene.

While both Jeune and Anacreon initially denied any involvement in Rosemond’s death during police interviews shortly after the incident, prosecutors claim that Anacreon later confessed to a close confidant that he provided the .44 Magnum firearm used in the murder. He also allegedly admitted to disposing of the weapon by throwing it into a river, although the firearm has never been recovered.

During a search of Jeune’s residence, investigators did not find the murder weapon but discovered two gun cases and a pair of latex gloves. Ryan highlighted that Jeune did not possess a license to own firearms and did not work in the medical field, making the presence of gun cases and latex gloves suspicious. Authorities also recovered an empty bottle of Moët champagne from Jeune’s home.

Further investigation revealed that Anacreon had been seen driving a Lexus similar to the one Rosemond was planning to buy in April 2009. He reportedly told his bosses that he was showing the car to a prospective buyer.

Prosecutors allege that Jeune and Anacreon celebrated Rosemond’s murder by sharing a bottle of Moët champagne shortly after the shooting on April 7, 2009. This is based on the recovery of an empty bottle of Moët champagne from Jeune’s home.

Ryan stated that Anacreon attempted to conceal his involvement in Rosemond’s death by telling her family and investigators that he was not present and had no knowledge of what transpired.

However, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY, Anacreon told police on May 21, 2024, that Jeune was the one who killed Rosemond. He claimed he did not participate in the planned robbery or murder and that he heard Jeune asking others for guns before the murder. He said Jeune never asked him for a weapon, though.

Ryan described Rosemond as a "promising and hard-working young woman" whose life was tragically cut short. "We allege today that she was taken advantage of and murdered by two men who were willing to take her life for $4,000," she said. "They killed her in cold blood. They celebrated the murder with a bottle of champagne, and they left her body in a parking lot for days, while her family frantically searched for her."

Addressing the 16-year delay in charging Anacreon despite the evidence gathered, Ryan explained that prosecutors need to be certain before bringing charges, as "the clock starts to run" once charges are filed. "It is a momentous thing in anyone’s life for us to be charging them with murder," she added. She emphasized that while investigators executed search warrants and conducted interviews, they initially lacked sufficient evidence to secure an indictment.

Ryan further stated that people often underestimate the extensive work involved in these cases, including hundreds of hours and thousands of tests conducted behind the scenes. "We have made a commitment in this office that we will not give up on these cases, and I think we met that commitment," she concluded. The case continues to develop as Anacreon’s trial proceeds, and more information comes to light. The community hopes for justice for Rosemond and closure for her family after so many years.