Ayanna Pressley

The death of an 18-year-old woman at a Mattapan rental home owned by Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley’s husband was a homicide, the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has ruled.

The determination comes nearly two weeks after Boston police discovered the victim in a rear bedroom of the apartment suffering from a single gunshot wound. First responders pronounced the teen dead on the scene.

While the medical examiner initially noted the cause of death as a gunshot wound, the case was officially ruled a homicide on Thursday.

Boston Police have confirmed the victim’s identity as Yoseliani Ann Marte Ocasio, which her family had previously disclosed in a verified GoFundMe posted on July 19, the day after her death.

A department report on the death investigation noted that officers were first alerted to the incident around 1:52 p.m. on Saturday, July 18, after an unnamed individual walked into a police station to report “a person shot at 25 Malta Street, #2, in Mattapan and that the victim was still on the scene.”

No arrests have been made in connection with the case.

Marte Ocasio’s family reported on the fundraiser page that she was killed in a domestic violence incident at the Malta Street multi-family home.

“With shattered hearts, I share the unimaginable loss of my beloved daughter Yoseliani, who tragically lost her life at just 18 years old as a result of domestic violence,” Marte’s mother, Elenie Ocasio, wrote. “No words can truly express the pain of losing someone so young, with so many dreams, hopes, and milestones still ahead of her.”

Ocasio described her daughter as kind and deeply loved by her family “and everyone whose life she touched.”

The GoFundMe campaign has raised over $18,450 from 326 donations toward an updated $20,000 goal to help cover “the unexpected financial burden of laying my daughter to rest,” Ocasio wrote, adding that the community’s compassion has provided comfort to the family.

Property Ownership & Official Response

While the Malta Street residence is not where Pressley and her family reside, public records show the rental property is owned by the representative’s husband, Conan Harris.

Police officials clarified that the property owners are not involved in the investigation.

“There is absolutely nothing that indicates any connection to the owners of the property,” said Chief of Internal & External Communications Mariellen Burns when asked if there was any link between the death and the homeowners.

A spokesperson for Pressley also issued a brief statement regarding the tragedy: “The Congresswoman extends her deepest condolences to the impacted family.”