Do you know who murdered ? In the early morning hours of December 23, 2011, a 27-year-old Hispanic male named Joseph A. Zargo of West Haven, Connecticut, was shot and killed on Houston Street in New Haven. The incident, which marked the city's 33rd homicide of the year, was the tragic result of a planned robbery. Zargo, a father to a young daughter, was born in Bridgeport and was survived by his mother, daughter, and three brothers.
The investigation into Zargo's death eventually led authorities to Trevor Murphy,
also known as "Snookie," a member of the Red Side Guerilla Brims, a sect of the Bloods street gang operating in New Haven. It was revealed that Murphy had arranged to buy ecstasy from Zargo with the intention of robbing him of both drugs and money. Shortly after midnight, the two met at 50 Houston Street. After Murphy took the ecstasy pills from Zargo, he drew a firearm. When Zargo reached for his own pocket, Murphy shot him once in the chest. Joseph Zargo died from his injuries later that morning.
For years, the case remained unsolved. However, a comprehensive investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New Haven Police Department, dubbed "Operation Red Side," began to dismantle the violent gang. This operation led to the arrest of Murphy on September 30, 2015, along with several other members of the Red Side Guerilla Brims. On February 8, 2017, Murphy pleaded guilty to federal charges of interference with commerce by robbery and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Subsequently, he was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, bringing a long-awaited resolution to the violent death of Joseph Zargo. The broader investigation successfully resolved numerous violent crimes in the New Haven area, including multiple homicides and attempted murders attributed to the gang.
