"Massachusetts Man Receives Life Sentence for Racially Motivated Road Rage Murder"

Dean Kapsalis, a Massachusetts man, was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole after 15 years for the racially motivated road rage murder of Henry Tapia in Belmont. Kapsalis was convicted of second-degree murder, violation of constitutional rights causing serious bodily injury, assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, and leaving the scene after causing injury. The incident occurred in January 2021 when Kapsalis shouted a racial slur at Tapia before running him over with his truck. Tapia's family expressed disappointment in the sentence, while Kapsalis's defense team unsuccessfully attempted to have the conviction reduced to manslaughter.