Who murdered William Vega and Elizabeth Matos in 2001?
In a move intended to provide a safer environment, William Vega Sr. brought his 19-year-old son, William Vega Jr., to Worcester, Massachusetts, from what he termed the "fast lane life" of New York City in 2000. The hope for a quieter, more secure future for the young Hispanic male was tragically cut short on the night of March 15, 2001. William, along with 16-year-old Elizabeth Matos, was found shot and killed in front of an abandoned auto body shop at 126 Dewey St.
On that Thursday evening, William had just finished his 3-to-11 p.m. shift at the Honey Farms convenience store. It is believed that he met up with Elizabeth, a student at Sullivan Middle School, shortly after. Around 11:45 p.m., the sound of several gunshots echoed through the neighborhood, prompting a 911 call. A passerby also alerted a police sergeant working a detail nearby, who was the first officer to arrive at the scene. He discovered William and Elizabeth lying on the ground; witnesses reported that William appeared to be on top of Elizabeth. Both were transported to a local hospital where they were pronounced dead. An autopsy would later reveal that William had been shot three times, with the fatal wound being a gunshot to his back. Elizabeth had been shot twice, with the fatal shot to her head.
The initial investigation into the double homicide left police with more questions than answers. There were no eyewitnesses to the shooting. The motive was not immediately clear, as neither William nor Elizabeth had been robbed, and no drugs or weapons were found at the scene. Neither victim was known to the Worcester police. While there were rumors that the two were secretly dating, their families did not know each other. However, friends indicated they were just friends and that William knew Elizabeth through her brother, with whom he had spent time in a juvenile detention facility.
Despite the years that have passed, the case remains an unsolved homicide. Investigators did receive a tip about a black car seen in the area around the time of the killings, which they believe the perpetrators were traveling in, but this lead never resulted in any arrests. Law enforcement officials have stated their belief that the act was not random and that at least one of the victims was targeted. The Worcester Police Department continues to list the case as open and encourages anyone with information to come forward.
