In the early morning hours of November 10, 2007, a young Hispanic man's life was cut short in Hartford, Connecticut. Efrain Rodriguez, a 30-year-old male, was fatally shot in the parking lot of the MiBar restaurant on Park Street. The incident unfolded around 1:45 a.m. when Hartford police officers on patrol nearby heard the sound of several gunshots. Their investigation led them to a chaotic scene where they discovered a 19-year-old male on the sidewalk with a gunshot wound to his leg.
He was transported to Hartford Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
Elsewhere in the parking lot, officers found Efrain Rodriguez with a gunshot wound to his chest. He was rushed by ambulance to St. Francis Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later at 2:04 a.m. At the time of his death, Rodriguez was a resident of Avon and an employee of the University of Hartford. Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, he had moved to Hartford as a teenager. He was known as a talented artist with a passion for pencil drawing and was described as a kind-hearted man with a bright smile. He left behind a young daughter, whom he had recently taught how to fish.
The investigation into Rodriguez's death was carried out by the Major Crimes Division of the Hartford Police Department and later involved the Cold Case Unit of the Office of the Chief State's Attorney. These efforts led to the identification of two suspects. In August 2008, a significant break in the case occurred when 16-year-old Alexander Torres was arrested following a grand jury investigation. He was charged with murder, first-degree assault, and carrying a pistol without a permit for his alleged role in the shooting.
More than a year later, in October 2009, a second suspect was apprehended. Samuel Quiles, a 25-year-old from Middletown, was arrested at Hartford Superior Court where he was appearing for an unrelated case. Quiles was charged with accessory to murder and carrying a pistol without a permit in connection with Rodriguez's death. His arrest marked the second significant development in the ongoing effort to bring justice for the death of Efrain Rodriguez.
