New Charges for Man Accused of Killing Middleboro Woman

TAUNTON — The 34-year-old man accused of second degree murder and motor vehicle homicide in the death of Lori Ann Medeiros of Middleboro last year has been charged with multiple drug trafficking and firearms offenses.

Hector Bannister-Sanchez of Norton and Medford was indicted last week on the new charges after authorities searched a Norton stash house as part of a months-long drug trafficking investigation.

During the search authorities allegedly found around 750 grams of suspected cocaine, 70 grams of suspected fentanyl powder, and 240 grams of suspected fentanyl pills, according to the Bristol County District Attorney's Office.

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The search also allegedly turned up around 182 of suspected methamphetamine pills, a Glock firearm with a large capacity magazine and more than $46,000 in cash, the D.A.'s office stated.

According to the D.A.'s office, the narcotics investigation into Bannister-Sanchez had been going on for four months on Nov. 7, 2022, when he crashed into the 54-year-old Medeiros on Kingman Road in Taunton, killing her.

Police had tried to stop him in connection to the drugs investigation earlier that day.

Instead of stopping, Bannister-Sanchez allegedly fled in his Toyota Highlander.

Prosecutors allege that he drove through a front yard, crashed into part of a home, and drove directly at a state trooper, who had to get out of the way.

He drove at "extremely high speeds" through Middleboro, Lakeville, and into Taunton — despite not being chased, according to prosecutors.

A court-authorized GPS on his vehicle showed him traveling at speeds of up to 101 miles per hour as he fled, the D.A.'s office noted.

As he approached Kingman Road, he was weaving in and out of oncoming traffic and forcing other vehicles to get out of his way, according to the office.

His Highlander eventually crashed into Medeiros' Ford Fusion while allegedly driving 101 mph on a street with a speed limit of 35 miles per hour, the D.A.'s office said.

Medeiros was trapped in the car and was later pronounced dead at Morton Hospital.

Bannister-Sanchez allegedly fled on foot from the crash scene with a backpack, and was caught and arrested on South Precinct Street shortly afterwards.

The backpack he was carrying allegedly contained more than $16,000 in cash.

Bannister-Sanchez now faces new charges of trafficking more than 200 grams of a Class B drug, more than 100 grams of a Class B drug, more than 36 grams of a Class A drug, illegally possessing a large capacity firearm, and two counts of illegally possessing a firearm with a prior felony conviction.

He is currently being held without bail on the murder and motor vehicle homicide charges and is due back in court on those charges on Feb. 22.

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