On a warm summer evening in New Britain, Connecticut, on August 1, 2017, Gabriel Pereira, a 32-year-old Hispanic male, was celebrating at a family birthday party on Park Street. The joyous sounds of the party were abruptly shattered by what some thought were fireworks. Pereira had briefly stepped outside of the residence when he was tragically shot in the head. His family, realizing he was no longer inside, went to look for him and found him on the ground near the front porch.
Emergency services were called, and he was rushed to a local hospital, but his injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced deceased.
For years, the case of who killed Gabriel Pereira remained unsolved, a painful mystery for his loved ones. The New Britain Police Department, along with the state's Cold Case Unit, continued to pursue leads. Investigators meticulously reviewed evidence, including video surveillance from the area and cell phone records, and conducted numerous interviews. A significant reward was offered for information that could lead to the conviction of those responsible for Pereira's death. The investigation revealed that the shooting may have stemmed from a dispute that occurred earlier that evening between two men on foot and the occupants of a car. Pereira was not involved in this prior altercation.
Years of persistent investigation finally led to a breakthrough. In September 2023, authorities announced the arrest of Michael B. Coleman in connection with the 2017 homicide. Shortly after, a second suspect, Jamell W. Evans, was also taken into custody. Coleman was charged with murder. Evans was charged as an accessory to murder. After a trial, Michael Coleman was found not guilty of the charges against him. Jamell Evans, however, entered into a plea agreement and pleaded guilty to a charge of first-degree assault for his role in the incident.
