The son of a Domino’s Pizza delivery driver has sued Domino’s Pizza and Deutsche Bank following the brutal murder of his father in Boston on September 1, 2010. The $15 million lawsuit alleges negligence and wrongful death against Domino’s Pizza, as the delivery driver’s employer, and Deutsche Bank, as owner of the site where the murder occurred.
Richel Nova, the Domino’s driver, was dispatched by a Domino’s Pizza franchisee to a run-down two-family structure owned by Deutsche Bank. Before Nova was dispatched, one of Nova’s killers asked the employee who took the order whether the driver would be carrying cash. The co-worker confirmed that Nova would have cash. Further, Nova’s co-worker failed to confirm a callback number and sent Nova to the rear of the building, out of public view. When Nova arrived, he was lured inside the building where he was stabbed 16 times and robbed of $143 cash, as well as two pepperoni pizzas, chicken wings, and soda. The lawsuit alleges that “at the time of Richel Nova’s death, Domino’s had no policies posted in and around the store regarding delivery driver security.” With regard to Deutsche Bank, the lawsuit alleges that it failed to secure the building Nova was killed in, breaching the duty it owed to Nova.
Boston Mayor, Thomas M. Menino, when asked about Nova’s brutal murder, stated, “if I saw these guys in a dark alley, I’d like to have a fight with them.” Although the three murderers have been detained, Nova’s estate remains uncompensated for its injuries, and as a result has filed this lawsuit.