In the early moments of October 27, 2022, the life of Jose Principe, a 28-year-old Hispanic male from Waterbury, Connecticut, was tragically cut short. First responders were called to Queen Street in Southington around 12:10 a.m. for what appeared to be a single-vehicle accident. Principe's car had struck a utility pole, and he was found unresponsive inside. He was quickly transported to a local hospital for what were believed to be injuries from the crash.
It was during medical treatment that the true and horrifying nature of the incident came to light. Hospital staff discovered that Principe had sustained a gunshot wound to his back. Despite their efforts, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner would later confirm that his death was a homicide caused by a gunshot wound to the torso.
As police began their investigation at the crash site, they encountered a man who seemed evasive and initially provided a false name. This individual was identified as 43-year-old Victor Perez of Meriden. A search of Perez revealed he was carrying a handgun. A convicted felon, he was immediately arrested for criminal possession of a pistol and interfering with officers. Further investigation, including a review of surveillance footage, uncovered a confrontation between Perez and Principe in the parking lot of a nearby Cumberland Farms just before the crash. The footage reportedly showed Perez standing by the passenger side of Principe's vehicle at the moment the fatal shot was fired.
Authorities have stated there is no evidence to suggest that the two men knew each other before their deadly encounter. Two days after the incident, on October 29, 2022, the Southington Police Department secured an arrest warrant and charged Victor Perez with the murder of Jose Principe. His bond was set at $10 million. At the time the murder charge was filed, Perez was already in custody on an unrelated matter.
