In the late hours of a Tuesday in Hartford, Connecticut, a tragedy unfolded that would cut a young life short. On the evening of May 26, 2015, Alexis Marrero, a 23-year-old male, was inside the Ciales Grocery on Maple Avenue. It was there that the violence erupted, and Marrero was struck by multiple gunshots, sustaining wounds to his torso and hand. First responders rushed to the scene and transported him to Hartford Hospital.
Despite the efforts of medical staff, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased the following day, May 27, 2015. This marked the city's eleventh homicide of the year.
The investigation into the shooting led Hartford police to identify a suspect. Through their inquiries, detectives were able to piece together evidence that pointed towards Jonathan Contrera, a 22-year-old resident of Hartford. Based on the leads they had developed, the police sought and were granted an arrest warrant for Contrera on June 16, 2015. The search for the suspect continued for several weeks.
Ultimately, law enforcement located Contrera at the Motel 6 in Southington. He was taken into custody without incident and formally charged in connection with the fatal shooting. The charges brought against him included murder and carrying a pistol without a permit, bringing a significant development to a case that had added to a string of violent incidents in the city.
