In the early morning hours of May 28, 2022, the life of 30-year-old Marisol Dumeng was tragically cut short in her Bridgeport, Connecticut, home. What unfolded was a devastating act of domestic violence that left a community in mourning and a family shattered. Dumeng, a mother of four, was found shot to death inside her Knoll Place residence. The man authorities quickly identified as the primary suspect was her 28-year-old ex-boyfriend, Glenn Pettway.
The situation was particularly alarming as Pettway was already out on a $1 million bond, awaiting trial for a separate murder that occurred in 2018.
Prior to her death, Dumeng had expressed fear for her life, reporting to police that Pettway had sent her text messages threatening to kill her. Despite these threats and a protective order issued against him, Pettway managed to force his way into her home. After the fatal shooting, a manhunt for Pettway was launched as he was considered armed and dangerous. He did not act alone in his escape. With the assistance of his new girlfriend, 21-year-old Melanie Castro, Pettway fled Connecticut. The pair traveled south, making their way through North Carolina before eventually reaching Jackson, Tennessee.
The search for Pettway came to a dramatic and violent end on June 2, 2022. Law enforcement tracked him to a residence in Jackson, Tennessee, leading to a tense, 12-hour standoff. During the standoff, Pettway held a 9-month-old infant hostage. After releasing the child, he barricaded himself inside and ultimately took his own life. Following the events in Tennessee, authorities focused their investigation on his accomplice. In July 2022, the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force arrested Melanie Castro. She was charged with criminal liability for the acts of another for murder and second-degree hindering prosecution for her role in aiding Pettway's escape. In December 2023, Castro pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, suspended after six years, followed by five years of probation. During the sentencing, Dumeng's family voiced their profound grief, emphasizing that Castro's actions contributed to four children losing their mother.
