Employee at R.I. Paper Kills 2 Co-Workers, Self

An employee at a newspaper production plant was found dead Saturday in a burned-out car after he shot a co-worker to death and wounded another, then killed another employee at his home in a nearby suburb, police said.

Family members identified the gunman as Carlos Pacheco and said he had complained of being teased for years by colleagues at the Providence Journal.

Police Chief Col. Richard Sullivan said Pacheco walked into the Journal’s production plant about 9:30 a.m., had an argument with co-worker Robert Benetti, 38, and fatally shot him. Pacheco then walked outside to the parking lot and shot Charles Johnson, 30, in the face. Johnson, of Providence, was hospitalized and was listed in satisfactory condition.

About half an hour later, police found Pacheco’s body in a burned-out car in Warwick, about 11 miles south of here. The car was parked in a lot near T.F. Green Airport.

“I was standing on the loading dock looking out, and it just went up real fast,” said Greg Maynard, who works at Kenney Manufacturing Co., where the car was found. “We just came out to get some fresh air, then a flash went up through the center of the car.”

Matthew Fandetti, 29, was found dead of a gunshot wound in a house blocks from the car.

All the men involved in the shootings worked in the same department at the paper’s plant, Sullivan said.

Police said they found a handgun in Warwick but did not say if it was the murder weapon.

Pacheco’s nephew, Jimmy Arruda, said his uncle had been teased by co-workers at the office and relatives saw him crying about it. Pacheco, who was in his 30s, lived with his mother, Arruda said.

“He was quiet, easy to be around,” said Arruda, 15.

Bob Varin, a plant employee, said Pacheco called him last week and asked if the two could get together Saturday to talk. Varin said Pacheco didn’t mention any work-related problems but did say, “Don’t worry, I can take it,” Varin said. “I wasn’t sure what he meant by that. I would never, ever, ever expect this.”

Howard G. Sutton, the Journal’s publisher, said the paper would offer counseling Monday to production plant employees. “The Providence Journal family has suffered a terrible tragedy.”

About 60 employees were in the plant at the time of the shooting. Production continued Saturday.