(BOSTON 2/10/2026) — Special prosecutor David E. Meier yesterday announced that four Massachusetts State Police academy instructors had been indicted as part of an independent investigation into the death of State Trooper Enrique Delgado-Garcia. Meier, who was appointed by Attorney General Andrea Campbell following strong advocacy for an independent investigation from the three state senators representing Delgado-Garcia’s hometown of Worcester, was given full autonomy and authority to make charging decisions. More than 150 people testified before a Worcester County Grand Jury as part of Meier’s investigation.
Just weeks away from graduation, Delgado-Garcia died from serious head injuries during a training exercise in a boxing ring at the Massachusetts State Police Academy in September 2024. Delgado-Garcia received his trooper badge and the State Police oath of office was administered in his UMass Memorial Medical Center hospital room in the final hours of his life on September 13th.
Three instructors and one supervisor will face felony charges of involuntary manslaughter, and the supervisor will also face perjury charges for lying to a grand jury. The officials charged include Lieutenant Jennifer Penton, Trooper Edwin Rodriquez, Trooper David Montanez, and Trooper Casey LaMonte.
“Trooper Delgado-Garcia’s death was egregious and preventable. It is absolutely unacceptable that an effective training program for Massachusetts State Police officers must carry risk of serious injury or death for the promising young men and women who aspire to serve their neighbors in the Commonwealth,” said State Senator Michael Moore (D-Second Worcester). “I hope that special prosecutor Meier’s findings are the first steps on the long path to closure for everyone who knew and loved Enrique, and that justice is served to those who played a role in his death. I am encouraged by the changes already being made to the Academy, and I hope reforms will continue to ensure future classes of recruits don’t have to face the dangers that cost Trooper Delgado-Garcia his life.”
“Since last fall, we have been pushing for accountability and justice for Enrique Delgado-Garcia and his family. We are grateful to the Attorney General for appointing an independent investigator and to Attorney David Meier for ensuring a thorough investigation," said State Senator Robyn Kennedy (D-First Worcester). "While the Massachusetts State Police have already implemented necessary changes to the MSP Training Academy program, the findings of the investigation make clear that charges are appropriate and necessary to ensure accountability and justice for Enrique are achieved. This moment does not mark the end of the work. Our thoughts remain with Enrique’s family, and we will continue to stand with them as this process moves forward and as efforts continue to ensure this never happens again.”
In the days following Enrique Delgado-Garcia’s death, the three senators representing Worcester – Senators Moore, Kennedy, and Durant – sent a letter to Attorney General Campbell requesting the appointment of a conflict-of-interest Special Assistant Attorney General to investigate his death and to conduct a broader probe into the Academy’s culture and tolerance of harassment. The letter also requested that all findings be issued as a public report, and for it to include recommendations for changes to policy, practices, and culture at the State Police, including any changes to state laws or regulations.
The three Worcester senators followed up with another letter in February 2025 requesting Attorney General Campbell provide an update on the status of the investigation. “Trooper Delgado-Garcia’s family has patiently waited for answers to some of the hardest questions they will ever have to ask. Any information that you may be able to share related to the status of the investigation, the estimated duration of the investigation, and any preliminary factual findings would be deeply appreciated,” the Senators wrote in the letter.
Specifics on the events that led to Trooper Delgado-Garcia’s death were not shared in the report or during Meier’s press conference due to the ongoing criminal charges, but the special prosecutor said, “members of the State Police Training Academy committed a series of wanton and reckless acts in connection with various defensive tactics and physical confrontation training exercises conducted at the academy.” Meier emphasized that Delgado-Garcia’s death was not the result of targeted malice, but rather negligence of the Academy’s instructors.
The Massachusetts State Police Academy, located in New Braintree, is known for its intense curriculum, with frequent comparisons to paramilitary-style structures that push recruits to their limits. According to a Boston Globe report, at least 100 recruits were injured in the four most recent recruiting classes, with at least 24 requiring medical care at a hospital or urgent care center. The Globe also reports that dropout rates are significantly higher than national averages.
A new leader of the Massachusetts State Police was announced by Governor Maura Healey shortly after Trooper Delgado-Garcia’s death. Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble has since suspended the Academy’s boxing program and has asked the International Association of Chiefs of Police to review its training style and curriculum.
Enrique Delgado-Garcia graduated from Worcester’s North High School in 2017. Following his graduation, he became a victim-witness advocate for Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.’s office before leaving to join the Massachusetts State Police. Because of his connection to District Attorney Early’s office, the authority who would typically investigate an incident like this, the DA declined to handle the investigation, citing the potential conflict of interest.
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