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Zachary Vozzella, of Lynn, was arraigned Thursday, Aug. 1, and charged with murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, the Essex County District Attorney said. He pleaded not guilty.
The body of 25-year-old Brianna Welsh was found at her home at 254 Lynnway #329 Wednesday morning after police responded to a 911 call. She had been stabbed repeatedly, the prosecutor said.
Zachary Vozzella is the brother of Brendon Vozzella, who was in jail at the time of the murder on a separate domestic violence allegation on Monday, authorities said. It's unclear if he was the father of Brianna's baby.
“I am so sorry for the devastating loss of Brianna Welsh,” said Lynn Mayor Jared C. Nicholson. “That she was an expectant mother makes this even more tragic, chilling, outrageous, and impossible to comprehend."
George Sowpel, who says he is one of Brianna's former teachers, said she was smart, forthright, and caring.
"She was one of my favorite people — tough and brave, but sensitive and vulnerable on the inside, he wrote in a Facebook post. "She was funny, loyal to her friends and those that she loved, intelligent, curious about things, and always open to new ideas."
Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker offered condolences to the Welsh family and Brianna's friends.
“The tragic violence that has taken the life of Brianna Welsh and her unborn child has created an unbearable loss for her family,” he said in a news release. “While their loss cannot be repaired or remedied, I hope that our efforts to seek justice on her behalf assures them that we and the community support them.”
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