In the early morning hours of August 18, 2022, a dispute outside a restaurant in Waterbury, Connecticut, turned deadly, claiming the life of a 32-year-old Black/African American man named Lechard Santos. The fatal encounter unfolded in the parking lot of Bertie's West Indian Restaurant on North Main Street. Shortly before 1 a.m., an altercation involving Santos broke out, which tragically culminated in gunfire.
Police were called to the scene around 12:47 a.m.
after reports of shots being fired. Upon arrival, they discovered Santos lying in the parking lot with a single gunshot wound. He was rushed to St. Mary's Hospital for medical attention, but his injuries proved to be too severe. A little over half an hour after the shooting, at 1:26 a.m., Lechard Santos was pronounced dead.
The Waterbury Police Department quickly launched an investigation into the city's third homicide in a week. Their efforts soon led them to identify a prime suspect: 32-year-old Joseph Whitaker, also a resident of Waterbury. Investigators secured an arrest warrant for Whitaker, charging him with the murder of Santos and setting his bond at $2 million. Police also located a 2012 silver Acura TL in the nearby town of Southington, which they believed was used by Whitaker.
A search for the suspect ensued, with police asking for the public's help in locating him. Several days later, on August 23, 2022, Joseph Whitaker turned himself in to the authorities. He was subsequently charged with murder, criminal possession of a firearm, criminal use of a weapon, illegal discharge of a weapon, and first-degree reckless endangerment for his alleged role in the death of Lechard Santos.
