By: Jerry Filmore | Tuesday, December 23, 2025
A multi-year manhunt for a suspect involved in a violent 2019 shooting has finally come to an end. Kenneth Diaz, 29, who had been eluding authorities for several years, was returned to Massachusetts last Wednesday to face justice for a string of violent incidents that have hung over the city’s North Side for over half a decade.
The arrest, coordinated across state lines, marks a major win for the Worcester Police Department and federal investigators who refused to let the case gather dust.
1. Case Background: The Wonder Cuts Shooting
The warrants against Diaz stem from a violent encounter on June 21, 2019. Worcester Police responded to Wonder Cuts at 260 Lincoln Street following reports of gunfire.
- The Incident: A barber at the shop was shot three times during the attack. While the victim survived, the shooting sent shockwaves through the Lincoln Street business corridor.
- The First Arrest: Diaz and his brother, Jose, were originally tracked down and arrested in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, just weeks after the shooting in July 2019. However, Diaz later fled the state in 2022 while out on bail, sparking a fresh years-long search.
2. The Fugitive Search: From Worcester to Houston
According to an official December 2025 statement from the Worcester Police Department, investigators intensified their search after a 2022 shooting incident was allegedly linked back to Diaz.
The search eventually led U.S. Marshals to an apartment in Houston, Texas.
The Raid: On December 3, 2025, federal agents and local Houston police moved in, finding Diaz with a female acquaintance. Inside the residence, authoritiesrecovered several firearms and body armor, suggesting the suspect had remained heavily armed while on the run. He was taken into custody without incident.
3. The Return: Escorted Back to the Heart of the Commonwealth
Following the Houston arrest, Worcester County Sheriff’s deputies traveled to Texas to take custody of Diaz. He was flown back under guard and arrived in Massachusetts on Wednesday, December 17.
- Current Status: Diaz is currently being held in Worcester pending court action on three active arrest warrants tied to the 2019 case and subsequent flight.
- Charges: The original charges include armed assault with intent to murder, carrying a firearm without a license, and possession of ammunition without an FID card.
What’s Next?
The Worcester District Attorney’s Office is now reviewing the case to determine if new charges will be filed based on the weapons recovered in Texas. While an official arraignment date has not been publicly posted as of this morning, Diaz is expected to appear in Worcester District Court imminently. The “active investigation” remains open as police look for any further connections between Diaz and other unsolved incidents.
Stay tuned to What Up Worcester as we monitor the court docket for the confirmed hearing time.
Have news, tips, or a story Worcester needs to hear? Reach Editor-in-Chief Jerry Filmore at jfilmore@whatsupworcester.com or press@whatsupworcester.com (because community news starts with you.)
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