In the summer of 2021, a 25-year-old Black man named Zayon Collier lost his life in Hartford, Connecticut. The events leading to the discovery of his death began unfolding just after midnight on August 4th, when police received a report of gunfire in the area of Blue Hills Avenue. Officers canvassed the neighborhood but found no evidence of a shooting and left the scene. It wasn't until around 12:45 that afternoon, nearly 12 hours later, that the gravity of the situation became clear.
A second call came in, this time reporting gunfire damage inside an apartment building at 69 Blue Hills Avenue.
Responding to the second call, officers discovered evidence of gunfire within a common stairwell. As they began checking on the welfare of the building's residents, they made a grim discovery inside one of the apartments. Zayon Collier was found deceased, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators from the Hartford Police Major Crimes and Crime Scene Divisions were called in to piece together the events that had transpired.
The investigation led to the identification of two suspects, Mark Outlaw, who was 22 at the time, and 27-year-old George Rodriguez, both from Hartford. Arrest warrants were issued for both men. On October 13, 2021, members of the Hartford Police Violent Crimes Unit and the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force located and apprehended Mark Outlaw. He was subsequently charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder. A little over a week later, George Rodriguez was found in Texas and taken into custody by U.S. Marshals. He faced charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and criminal possession of a firearm.
In the ensuing legal process, George "Burger" Rodriguez reached a plea agreement. He was convicted of first-degree manslaughter with a firearm and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Mark Outlaw was also facing a murder charge in connection with the death of Zayon Collier. The investigation revealed that a witness had seen a black BMW park in front of the building before the shooting. Two men, one of whom was carrying a rifle, were seen exiting the vehicle and entering the side of the building. Traffic cameras helped police track the car's movements and connect it to Outlaw, who was identified as the driver during a traffic stop the day after the shooting.
