Police have caught and arrested the second suspect within the homicide of a mom and her 11-year-old daughter in San Diego after a virtually week-long manhunt, Worcester Police introduced Monday evening.
“This tonight brings great relief to Chasity and Zella’s family here, and also that neighborhood, and also to Worcester Public Schools,” stated Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty at a press convention Monday evening.
Dejan Belnavis, 27, was tracked down Monday in San Diego and brought in on costs of armed assault to homicide and carrying a firearm and not using a license in reference to the double murder of Chasity Nunez, 27, and her daughter Zella Nunez, 11, stated Interim Worcester Police Chief Paul Saucier.
The DA’s workplace plans to improve costs for Belnavis and Karel Mangual, 28, of Sterling Street in Worcester, who was arrested in reference to the taking pictures Wednesday evening.
“The other co-defendant, the charge is going to be upgraded to murder tomorrow,” stated Worcester County DA Joseph Early. “And when this defendant is brought back as well, he’s going to also be charged with murder. When we don’t know; that’s gonna depend on whether or not he’s willing to waive extradition. And we’ll let everything else pretty much unfold in the courtroom with regard to both defendants.”
Police upgraded the reward for data resulting in Belnavis’s seize to $10,000 on Monday. Belnavis was thought-about armed and harmful, police warned.
Chasity and Zella Nunez had been discovered shot in a parked automotive after police acquired reviews of gunshots in space of Lisbon Street and Englewood Avenue round 3 p.m. final Tuesday. Both had been transported to an area hospital earlier than being pronounced lifeless.
A day later, police reported they arrested Mangual in reference to the taking pictures. Mangual pleaded not responsible to armed assault to homicide and carrying a firearm and not using a license and was ordered held with out bail Thursday.
Belnavis was recognized as a second suspect later Wednesday evening.
Police obtained surveillance footage exhibiting two individuals strolling in direction of the Nunezs of their automotive and begin taking pictures, based on courtroom paperwork reported by the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. The suspects then run again in direction of a white sedan police say Belnavis had been borrowing, the paperwork state, and the automobile was later present in Hartford, Connecticut.
Saucier praised the collaboration between the Worcester Police Department, U.S. Marshals, Massachusetts State Police and legislation enforcement in San Diego, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Maine, amongst others.
Police tracked Belnavis throughout a number of states with legislation enforcement know-how, tip, communication and “shoe leather police work,” officers on the press convention stated.
Officials didn’t give a lot element relating to the arrest, however stated the suspect was situated within the space of the San Diego Zoo and had an altered look from footage. Though he was “close” to Mexico, the police chief stated he couldn’t speculate whether or not he was making an attempt to flee the nation.
The household was notified earlier than the media Monday evening, officers stated, and had been “grateful” for the work put into catching the suspect.
Chasity Nunez was a “force to be reckoned with; incredibly dependable,” an obituary for the mom and daughter reads, and labored with the Connecticut National Guard and as a Patient Safety and Clinical Quality Coordinator at MIT University. Zella Nunez, a sixth grader at Columbus Park School, was an “optimistic and creative soul,” “kindhearted” and did portray, singing, dancing and skating, based on the obituary.
“I’m very proud of all of the men and women in Worcester Police Department, the City of Worcester and all of the agencies for the work that they’ve done,” stated Worcester City Councilor Kathleen Toomey. “I think it’s incredibly important now that we pray for the family so that they are able to have some closure, some peace and some healing as we move forward.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”