Pittsfield Police Arrest Man Allegedly Involved in Fatal Stabbing

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Update: Josiah Helmer, age 27, was arraigned for murder on Friday in Central Berkshire District Court and held without the right of bail. He is scheduled for a pretrial hearing on Oct. 10. 
 
PITTSFILED, Mass. — A 27-year-old city man has been arrested in Tuesday's fatal stabbing. 
 
Multiple law enforcement officers arrested Josiah Helmer on Thursday at a residence on Dalton Avenue on an outstanding warrant charging him with murder. 
 
The charge stemmed from the stabbing that occurred on Melville Street on the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 12. Police responded at about 10:45 p.m. to the report of a stabbing on Melville Street, near the intersection with First Street. A 42-year-old man, whose identity was not disclosed, was found at the scene. Officers, firefighters and Action Ambulance Personnel provided the victim with emergency medical care and he was transported to Berkshire Medical Center, where he later died. 
 
Helmer was booked and is expected to be arraigned in Pittsfield District Court later Friday.
 
The collaborative investigation after the homicide led to the suspect's apprehension less than 48 hours after his violent crime. The investigation and arrest were effectuated by the following agencies and departments: 
  • PPD Detective Bureau
  • PPD Drug Unit
  • PPD Anti-Crime Unit
  • PPD Patrol Division
  • Berkshire County Special Response Team
  • Berkshire County Sheriff's Department 
  • Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit Assigned to the Berkshire County District Attorney's Office
Anyone who wishes to provide information on this case is asked to contact Detective Neil Goodrich at 413-448-9700 x554. Information can also be provided anonymously via the Detective Bureau Tip Line at 413-448-9706, or by texting PITTIP and your message to
TIP411 (847411).

Tags: homicide,   murder,   stabbing,   

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Belchertown Stops Pittsfield Post 68

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires.com Sports
PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Belchertown Post 239’s Cooper Beckwith set the tone when he crushed the game’s first pitch to left-center field for a double.
 
The visitors went on to pound out 14 more hits in a 9-1 win over Pittsfield Post 68 in American Legion Baseball action at Buddy Pellerin Field on Monday night.
 
Beckwith went 3-for-4 with an RBI and scored twice, and Chase Earle went five innings on the mound without allowing an earned run as Post 239 improved to 15-0 this summer and completed a regular-season sweep of Post 68 (12-4).
 
“He’s a good pitcher,” Post 68 coach Rick Amuso said. “Good velo[city], kept the ball down. We didn’t respond.”
 
Pittsfield did manage to scratch out a run in the bottom of the fourth inning, when it already trailed, 7-0.
 
Nick Brindle reached on an error to start the inning. He moved up on a single by Jack Reed (2-for-2) and scored on a single to left by Cam Zerbato.
 
That was half the hits allowed by Earle, who struck out three before giving the ball to Alex West, who gave up a leadoff walk in the sixth and retired the next six batters he faced.
 
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