Robert Dorgan, known as “Roberta Esposito” after undergoing gender reassignment surgery in 2020, murdered his ex-wife and a 23-year-old son (Aidan Dorgan) during an attack at a Pawtucket ice rink on Monday. The rampage also critically wounded three others.
Kevin Colantonio, the half-brother of Aidan Dorgan, is currently serving nearly seven years in federal prison for sparking five fires outside Shiloh Gospel Temple Ministries, a Pentecostal church with about 100 predominantly Black members in North Providence.
Federal prosecutors reported that Colantonio purchased a Bic lighter and $10 worth of gas from a local gas station prior to the attack. He poured gasoline around the church’s base and ignited multiple fires, causing significant damage that forced service cancellations until repairs were completed.
Police discovered racist writings by Colantonio in his notebooks, including the phrases: “gun everyone down that isn’t white, if one is white spread the gospel” and “Eliminate Rich Snob global Elite Pastors, burn churches down to the ground.”
Both Robert Dorgan and Kevin Colantonio were influenced by far-right ideologies. Dorgan posted antisemitic content online, including an anti-Asian slur after replying to a video praising Adolf Hitler, and had a prominent Nazi tattoo on his arm.