In the early afternoon of a spring day in Hartford, Connecticut, a burst of gunfire shattered the quiet of a largely residential neighborhood. On April 11, 2023, just before 12:15 p.m., police were alerted to the sound of gunshots in the 200 block of Capen Street. When officers arrived at the scene, near the intersection with Enfield Street and outside a small market, they discovered a man who had been shot multiple times while he was walking.
The victim, a 29-year-old Black male named Michael Starks of Hartford, was found unresponsive. He was quickly transported to a local hospital, but his injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead. His death marked the fifth homicide in the city that year.
The Hartford Police Department immediately launched an investigation into the fatal shooting. Investigators canvassed the large crime scene for both physical and video evidence. They were able to gather what they described as "good evidence" that they believed would lead them to a suspect. The initial investigation did not make it clear if Starks knew his attacker or what the motive behind the shooting might have been. Authorities appealed to the public for any information that could aid their investigation into the brazen daytime shooting.
Less than two weeks later, an arrest was made in connection with Michael Starks's death. On April 22, 2023, Hartford police apprehended 27-year-old Paul Lorenzo Downer. Downer was not arrested in Hartford, and he was also noted as a suspect in other crimes in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. He was charged with conspiracy to commit murder for his alleged role in the shooting death of Michael Starks. Following his arrest, Downer was held on a $2 million bond and was scheduled for arraignment in the state Superior Court in Hartford in May of that year.
