Outside investigator appointed in State Police recruit's death

BOSTON - A lawyer with previous experience overseeing murder investigations will lead an independent probe into Massachusetts State Police recruit Enrique Delgado-Garcia's death , Attorney General Andrea Campbell announced Monday.

Delgado-Garcia was training in a boxing ring at a State Police academy in New Braintree when he was hit and the head and knocked out for several minutes, I-Team sources reported . The 25-year-old was sworn in as a trooper before he died at a hospital on Sept. 13.

David Meier to lead investigation into State Police recruit's death

Campbell said attorney David Meier "will have complete authority" over the case. Meier is a longtime trial attorney who represented the driver convicted of killing two people and injuring seven others in the Newton Sweet Tomatoes pizza shop crash. Before going into private practice he was chief of homicide investigations in the Suffolk County District Attorney's office.

"Trooper Delgado-Garcia lost his life while training to protect and serve the Commonwealth, and I want to thank his family and the public for their patience as we sought to identify the most appropriate authority to investigate the facts surrounding his tragic death," Campbell said in a statement. "Today, I am appointing Attorney David Meier to lead that investigation. Mr. Meier has deep experience in death investigations and will ensure independence and integrity in this matter."

Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. had jurisdiction over the case but said an outsider would be appointed because he has a conflict of interest in investigating the death of Delgado-Garcia, who worked in his office at a victim witness advocate.

"The investigation into Trooper Delgado-Garcia's death will be undertaken professionally, thoroughly, and responsibly," Meier said in a statement. "The Delgado-Garcia family, their community, and the public have been waiting patiently. It is now time to get to work."

Massachusetts State Police won't have role in investigation into recruit's death

Campbell said State Police "will have no role in the investigative team or decision-making process."

State Police have suspended full-contact boxing between trainees in the wake of Delgado-Garcia's death. His funeral is scheduled for Saturday in his hometown of Worcester.

Gov. Maura Healey called for an investigator to be appointed in Delgado-Garcia's death earlier on Monday.

"I support anything to move this forward. It's been a week. The family is anxious for answers," Healey told reporters. "This is a terrible tragedy and we need to get to the bottom of it."