TRIAL UNDER WAY IN FATAL ’01 BLAZE Feb. 25, 2008 A Dorchester man set fire to a residential building in a bid to kill a rival gang member, but instead killed an innocent 53-year-old disabled man who was trapped inside died of smoke inhalation beneath his mattress, a Suffolk County homicide prosecutor told a Superior Court jury in opening statements this morning. ERIC KING, 35 (D.O.B. 1/19/73), is on trial for first-degree murder and arson of a dwelling for allegedly setting the fire that killed Shelby Caddell in a second-floor apartment at 41-43 Port Norfolk St. on the morning of Aug. 24, 2001. Assistant District Attorney Dennis H. Collins said Caddell’s death came when King sought to retaliate against a member of a rival gang who had shot one of King’s friends outside a Mattapan nightclub a few hours earlier. Collins said that TAMIA BROWN (D.O.B. 7/1/83) and a male friend associated with Esmond Street were leaving the Rolls Club on the night of Aug. 23 when a small group associated with the rival Franklin Hill public housing development opened fire at them, striking Brown’s friend in the foot. At a later meeting between friends of the victim, Brown told King and others that she recognized one of the shooters and knew where he lived. King, Collins said, had been planning to accompany Brown and her friend to the Rolls Club but wasn’t present when his friends were shot at. “The defendant blames himself,” Collins said. “He starts talking about retaliation …. The defendant is aware Tamia Brown knows where some people from Franklin Hill live. He starts talking about burning a house down.” King and BRENDAN MORRIS (D.O.B. 4/7/82) went to a gas station, purchased a gas container, and filled it with gasoline. They, along with Brown and COVIA GODFREY (D.O.B. 10/28/83), then drove to Port Norfolk Street, where Brown pointed out the rival’s residence. With Morris acting as a lookout, Collins said, King doused the front of the house and front porch in gasoline and then set it alight. He and the others fled the scene. Everyone in the building escaped safely through the rear of the house, Collins said, except Caddell. “He goes down the front stairs, opens the door, and lets in all the smoke and soot,” Collins said. “He’s burned. He tries to escape back up the stairs,” but finds himself trapped by the flames. Fire rescue personnel found Caddell in the second-floor apartment partially covered by a mattress as if he had tried to shield himself from the fire. An autopsy revealed that he died of smoke inhalation. Boston Police homicide detectives and Suffolk homicide prosecutors undertook a complex and far-ranging investigation into Caddell’s death, leading to grand jury indictments against King, Brown, Morris, and Godfrey. Of those four, all except King have pleaded guilty to various charges. King is represented by attorney Robert Galibois II. Testimony is ongoing before Judge Patrick Brady in courtroom 815 of Suffolk Superior Court. Return to the Press Releases page.