Alberto Sierra Jr. pleads not guilty to 2013 murder of 5-year-old Jeremiah Oliver
WORCESTER - Alberto Sierra Jr., the man charged with killing 5-year-old Jeremiah Oliver and hiding him in a suitcase 9 years ago, pleaded not guilty to a murder charge Thursday.
Sierra Jr., 32, of Fitchburg, was arraigned in a brief appearance in Worcester Superior Court. He also pleaded not guilty to disinterring a body in the case. He was ordered held without bail.
Jeremiah's body was found in a suitcase in April 2014 along Interstate 190 in Sterling. But he was last seen alive in September 2013, and was not reported missing until December of that year.
The family, which lived in Fitchburg at the time, was being supervised by the state Department of Children and Families. Even before the boy's body was discovered, an investigation found that a social worker with the child welfare agency went months without visiting the family's home - despite reports of abuse and neglect.
Ultimately, three agency employees were fired and the report led to changes at the agency.
"We believe these changes have put necessary resources, systems and processes into place as part of the continuous quality improvement that helps the state better respond to reports of abuse and neglect and keep kids safe," said Rachel Gwaltney of Children's League of Massachusetts.
The boy's death was not ruled a homicide until February of 2016 when an autopsy by the state medical examiner said that he died of "homicidal violence of undetermined causes."
"It haunts any parent when you see a case like this," said Fitchburg Police Chief Ernest Martineau. "Anything that happens to a child just eats at your soul."
Sierra was convicted in 2017 of assaulting Jeremiah's mother and siblings and sentenced to up to seven years in prison. He was not incarcerated when he was arrested on Wednesday, the district attorney's office said.
Jeremiah's mother, Elsa Oliver, dated Sierra, Jr.. She also pleaded guilty in 2017 to assault and battery and reckless endangerment in connection with her other two children and was sentenced to more than seven years in prison.
Prosecutors dropped charges against both of them in connection with Jeremiah's disappearance and alleged abuse to avoid possible double jeopardy claims, prosecutors said at the time.
"We made a commitment 10 years ago that we would never give up and we would never forget," Martineau told reporters Thursday. "This case rocked the conscience of the city of Fitchburg. At one point, we were Jeremiah's family, the 45,000 residents of the city and we are here today beginning the process of healing."
"I know what this case meant to our investigators and here we are today, seeing the beginning of justice to happen," the chief said.
Sierra Jr., is due back in court May 25 for a bail hearing.