On June 30, 2026, James Rizza, 57, was found in his driveway on Harbor Road in Mattapoisett with multiple gunshot wounds. Emergency responders took him to a local hospital, where he died a short time later. Neighbors described Rizza as a hell of a nice guy and said the shooting was shocking in a town where such violence is rare.

Police identified 33-year-old Nicholas Bottella of Fairhaven as the suspect after a witness gave a description of a red vehicle to a 911 dispatcher. Officers located the car, attempted a traffic stop, and a refusal to stop led to a high-speed chase that ended in Marion when cruisers boxed the vehicle in. Bottella was arrested and a passenger was taken in for questioning.

Authorities said the shooting followed a neighborly dispute between Bottella and Rizza about a year earlier. Bottella was arraigned in Wareham District Court on first-degree murder and additional charges, pleaded not guilty, and was ordered held without bail; a probable cause hearing was scheduled for the end of July 2026. Does anyone in Mattapoisett have information about the dispute between the two men or the events that afternoon?