“The Tragic Violence That Has Taken the Life of Brianna Welsh”: Pregnant Massachusetts Woman Allegedly Stabbed to Death by Ex-Boyfriend’s Brother
Photo: WCVB/Gofundme
The family of a pregnant Massachusetts woman is mourning her loss after authorities allege she was stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend’s brother. According to the Essex County District Attorney’s Office, 25-year-old Brianna Welsh, who was reportedly about three months pregnant, was found dead at her Lynn, Massachusetts, apartment on Wednesday, July 31.
The DA’s office stated that just one day before Welsh was discovered dead, her ex-boyfriend, Brendon Vozzella, was arrested by Lynn Police following a report of alleged domestic violence. Assistant District Attorney Kate MacDougall revealed in court on Thursday, August 1, that Brendon allegedly punched his ex-girlfriend in the stomach and was taken into police custody around 2 p.m. on Tuesday. Welsh was subsequently taken to a nearby hospital and returned home to the apartment by 6:15 p.m., while Brendon remained in police custody.
Zachary Vozzella, Brendon’s 26-year-old brother, had been staying with the couple. According to MacDougall, Zachary returned to the apartment while Welsh was home and allegedly stabbed her to death, leaving her with multiple stab wounds, NBC10 Boston reported
Prosecutors have stated that Brendon did not return to the apartment after his arrest and is not believed to have killed Welsh. As the investigation continued, police reportedly found bloody clothes and a kitchen knife in a trash bag in another apartment where Zachary had also been staying.
Brendon was arraigned on Wednesday on one count of assault and battery on a household member and one count of assault and battery upon a pregnant person. He is next due in court on Tuesday, August 6. It is unclear if he has entered pleas or retained an attorney.
On Thursday, Zachary pleaded not guilty to one count of murder and one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon in Lynn District Court and was held without bail. Zachary’s attorney, Francisco Napolitano, told WHDH that his client denies killing anyone. Zachary is set to appear in court for a pre-trial probable cause hearing on September 10, according to the Boston Globe.
Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker stated, “The tragic violence that has taken the life of Brianna Welsh and her unborn child has created an unbearable loss for her family. While their loss cannot be repaired or remedied, I hope that our efforts to seek justice on her behalf assure them that we and the community support them.”
Following Welsh’s death, her family established a GoFundMe page to raise money for her funeral expenses. In the fundraiser description, Claudia Welsh wrote that the 25-year-old was excited about having her baby. “We are raising funds to help memorialize our beautiful daughter, Brianna E. Welsh, also known as Bri Bri, and her unborn child,” the GoFundMe description reads. “Brianna was looking forward this week to finding out and sharing with her family and friends if her baby was going to be a boy or a girl.”
“Tragically, she has been taken from us, murdered in her own home. We are all lost without her,” the page continues. “She was a bright shining star that went out before her time.”
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
