In the late hours of August 31, 2015, the Sheldon Oaks affordable housing complex on South Prospect Street in Hartford became the scene of a fatal shooting. Just before midnight, multiple 911 calls reported a man had been shot. Responding officers discovered 32-year-old Hispanic male, William Prieto of Hartford, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his torso. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene shortly after 12:30 a.m. on September 1st.
Investigators from the Major Crimes Unit believed Prieto was specifically targeted in the attack, which marked the city's 23rd homicide of the year. The area, located behind the Dr. Ramon E. Betances School and surrounded by state buildings, was noted by police as a neighborhood that rarely experienced such violent crime.
The investigation into William Prieto's death moved forward, and soon police identified a suspect. Anthony Christiana, a 28-year-old man from Henry Street in Hartford with a history of nine previous arrests in the city and several drug-related convictions, was named as the individual responsible. Authorities determined that the motive for the killing was related to drugs and money. While the investigation was ongoing, Christiana was initially taken into custody on an unrelated probation violation.
On September 24, 2015, Anthony Christiana was officially charged with the murder of William Prieto. In addition to the murder charge, he faced accusations of conspiracy to commit murder and various firearms offenses. A judge set his bail at $1 million. The arrest brought a sense of resolution to the case, though it highlighted a particularly violent year for the city, which had seen a high number of homicides.
