Clauvens Janvier Charged In Series Of Random, Unprovoked Attacks In Waltham

WALTHAM (CBS) – Clauvens Janvier, a 24-year-old man from Waltham, was charged Thursday in a series of random, unprovoked attacks last November in the city.

Ten people were violently assaulted at different locations in Waltham, including a U.S. Mail carrier, during the spree.

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan told reporters at a news conference announcing the charges that Janvier  was already in custody, having been arrested on December 11 for an another incident. Ryan said that the investigation the last few months led to his arrest Thursday for all of the November attacks.

"There appears to be no connection. No one was robbed," Ryan said.

"The demographics of the victims suggest that they were not in any way connected. I know there was some information early on that they may have been somewhat planned. That's planned in the sense that what we know at this point is the perpetrator appeared to have been in some cases waiting for someone. It just was clearly a case of somebody in that place where he was at the wrong time, rather than he was looking for a particular person."

Janvier is being held without bail. Ryan said he will be arraigned in Waltham District Court "at a later date."

The attacks occurred at different times between 5:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. in November. The victims were alone and struck with a blunt object.

Initially, police said the attacks were taking place at the GardenCrest Apartment Complex in Waltham, but later occurred in other areas.

Ryan said the pandemic played a role in the long investigation.

"Obviously, it's more difficult to gather with people. This is obviously a time when many times you were able to see people out and about and may have seen things," she told reporters. "Particularly, during November, cold weather, people staying at home more. That lessens it. So that's why we really relied a great deal on the more forensics pieces, forensic testing, forensic surveillance, the cell phone records, those pieces of information."

Emerson Paz, a victim of the random attacks, said the arrest is "completely a relief.

"I hope justice puts that guy away for I don't know for how long," said Paz. "I still recover I don't do much hard stuff because I still have some sort of pain in my back of my head," said Paz.