Two Suspects In 2009 Walpole Murder Freed From Prison

DEDHAM (CBS)  - Two men who were charged with murdering a man in 2009 over a drug debt, and dismembering and incinerating his body, have been freed from prison.

Paul Moccia of Dedham and Daniel Bradley of Westwood walked out of prison on Friday after the D.A. withdrew the murder indictments against the two men.

The two had been held without bail since shortly after the 2009 murder of a Framingham man, 37-year-old Angel Ramirez.

Prosecutors say a lack of evidence forced them to scrap the case. Ramirez's body was never recovered. And back in January, Moccia's brother Robert, a key witness in the case, died of natural causes.

"Because the January death by natural causes of Robert Moccia, brother of Paul Moccia and the witness on whom the case largely rested, it has impossible to sustain the Commonwealth's burden at this time," the D.A.'s office said in a statement.

"The District Attorney has the ethical obligation to dismiss the charges, if there are no grounds," said defense attorney Kevin Reddington. "I applaud him for his courage."

Robert Moccia had told police Paul Moccia admitted to killing Ramirez.

Prosecutors said Moccia owed Ramirez $70,000 for drugs. Rather than paying that debt, they say Moccia killed Ramirez.

The D.A.'s other key witness was a jailhouse informer. "He is a pathological liar," said Moccia's attorney Steve Boozang. "As a jailhouse snitch, he had no credibility, even the Bristol County D.A. refused to use him anymore."

"I just want to spend time with my family," said Moccia, as he left court.

Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey says the murder will remain under investigation.

"There is a strong possibility that there are members of the public with information relative to this homicide who have not shared that information with law enforcement," he said in a statement. "Perhaps it was not shared in the belief that the case was solved and it was not necessary to become involved, or in the belief that authorities already know what would be offered or other reasons. Now is the time for any such person to contact the Massachusetts State Police detectives in the Norfolk DA's Office. What may seem an insignificant detail to a member of the public might be key. We urge anyone with knowledge of these events or those involved to come forward."

WBZ-TV's Bill Shields contributed to this report.