A National Guardsman and her 11-year-old daughter were shot to death on Tuesday while they were inside their vehicle parked on a street in Lisbon in Worcester (Massachusetts).
Police arrested one suspect and are looking for another “armed and dangerous” suspect.
The man wanted by authorities was identified as Dejan Belnavis, 27, who has been charged with charges of armed assault with intent to murder and possession of a firearm without a license, the Worcester Police Department reported.
Dejan Belnavis, 27, is wanted on charges related to the murder of eleven-year-old Chasity Nunez and Zella Nunez.
Worcester Police Department
Authorities explained that they responded shortly after 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time to the emergency call and, upon arriving at the area, found the car full of bullet holes with the bodies of Chastity Nuñez, 27, who He had served in the army, in the pilot's seat, and his daughter Zella - considered legally blind - in the co-pilot's seat.
Mother and daughter were not breathing when the police arrived, so they were taken to a hospital where they were both declared dead.
Witnesses told the agents that they saw two men run after hearing the noise caused by the gunshots.
A neighbor claimed that he had seen them flee in a white car with Massachusetts plates, according to court documents obtained by NBC 10.
Video surveillance recordings from the scene showed two people approaching the parked car before starting to shoot, then running to where the white vehicle was, which had been seen circling the area before the attack.
Other recordings were able to capture the suspects getting out of the car.
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The police indicated this Thursday in a statement on carrying a firearm without a license.
The suspect also had a prior arrest warrant.
After a review, the authorities indicated that they verified that neither Mangual nor Belnavis have a license to carry firearms.
After tracing the license plate of the white car, the police were able to find the owner of the car, who claimed that he had lent the car to Belnavis, whom he identified as his girlfriend's son, for a year.
Shrewsbury police indicated that the young man had a record for a traffic accident in January and charges filed in 2021 related to firearms, court documents added.
Although the police were able to track the car and located it in Hartford (Connecticut), they did not find the trace of the young man, who is believed to be sheltered by a relative who lives near the area.
“They took two beautiful souls”
The news shocked the community, where they still do not understand the reasons for the attack.
“Today we mourn the senseless loss of two Worcester residents, a mother and daughter whose lives were taken too soon and too tragically,” the city's mayor, Joseph Petty, said in a statement posted on X and co-signed by others. local authorities.
“We ask for patience and privacy on behalf of the victims' family and friends.
An act of such violence has no place in our city,” the document added.
“Worcester residents deserve better, and we will stand with our community in grief and solidarity.”
Nuñez, who left another two-year-old daughter alive, was fired along with little Zella by friends and family, who demanded the full weight of the law against those responsible.
“I just hope they know the seriousness of what they just did, they senselessly took two beautiful souls,” said Tyrae Sims, the child's godfather.
Authorities ask that anyone with information that could help determine Belnavis' whereabouts contact 508-799-8651 or by text message to 274637 with the phrase “TIPWPD”;
all anonymously.