On the afternoon of March 5, 2024, 27-year-old Chasity Nunez and her 11-year-old daughter, Zella Nunez, were fatally shot while sitting in their parked vehicle on Englewood Avenue in Worcester, Massachusetts. The daylight attack was described as a horrifying ambush in which their SUV was sprayed with gunfire. Neighbors reported hearing a dozen or more shots fired in rapid succession.
When police arrived at the scene in the Columbus Park neighborhood, they found both mother and daughter with serious injuries. They were transported to a local hospital where they were pronounced dead.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly led authorities to two suspects: Karel Mangual, 28, and Dejan Belnavis, 27, both from Worcester. Surveillance footage from the area reportedly captured two men approaching the parked SUV and opening fire before fleeing in a white sedan that had been seen circling the area. Mangual was arrested the day after the shooting. Belnavis fled and was apprehended in San Diego, California, on March 11, following a traffic stop.
Both Mangual and Belnavis have since been indicted on two counts of murder each. Mangual was initially charged with armed assault to murder and carrying a firearm without a license, but these charges were upgraded. Belnavis was also initially wanted for armed assault with intent to murder and firearm possession before facing the murder charges upon his return to Massachusetts. Both men are being held without bail. While a motive for the shooting has not been publicly released, the incident has deeply affected the Worcester community. Chasity Nunez was a member of the Connecticut National Guard and was remembered for her dedication and vibrant personality.
