WORCESTER, Mass. — A Worcester County Grand Jury has indicted 17-year-old Kayden M. Keane Hoffler on a murder charge in connection with the April 2024 shooting death of 19-year-old Eathan Renteria, the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.
The incident occurred on April 30, when Worcester Police responded to a report of a car crashing into a house on Paine Street around 9 p.m. Officers discovered Renteria inside the vehicle, suffering from a gunshot wound. Renteria was hospitalized for nearly three weeks before dying from his injuries on May 16.
Hoffler, also of Worcester, was arrested on May 8 and initially charged in juvenile court with armed assault to murder and firearms offenses. The case escalated to a murder charge, and Hoffler was arraigned on Oct. 1 in Worcester Central District Court.
The murder indictment was handed down on Dec. 20, following months of investigation. Officials have not disclosed further details about the case or any potential motive for the shooting.
“This indictment represents the next step in seeking justice for Eathan Renteria and his family,” said District Attorney Joseph D. Early, Jr., in a statement.