On the evening of May 16, 2016, a burst of gunfire shattered the quiet near the intersection of Campfield Avenue and Cowles Street in Hartford, Connecticut. When police arrived around 10:30 p.m., they discovered the body of 22-year-old Hispanic male, Joshua Cortez, lying in the street. He had been shot multiple times in the head and was pronounced dead at the scene. Nearby, in a parked car, officers found 23-year-old Alysha Ocasio with several gunshot wounds to her torso.
She was rushed to Hartford Hospital but tragically succumbed to her injuries. The couple left behind a young daughter.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly led to a suspect, 20-year-old Joseph Silva of Hartford, who was an acquaintance of both victims. Witnesses reported that Silva approached Cortez and shot him in the head. As Cortez fell, Silva fired several more shots and was heard saying, "This is how Joseph Silva does it." He then turned his attention to Ocasio, who was sitting in her car, and shot her multiple times. The motive for the shooting was believed to be an ongoing dispute between Silva and Cortez, with Ocasio being an innocent bystander caught in the tragic altercation.
Joseph Silva was apprehended shortly after the killings. His girlfriend, Kailei Opalacz, was also implicated for assisting him in his attempt to escape. She later pleaded guilty to first-degree hindering prosecution for arranging transportation for Silva and advising him to change his clothes. In October 2018, after a trial where the jury deliberated for only 18 minutes, Joseph Silva was found guilty of murder and murder with special circumstances. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Throughout the legal proceedings, Silva maintained his innocence and planned to appeal the conviction.
