On the afternoon of March 5, 2024, 27-year-old Chasity Nunez and her 11-year-old daughter, Zella Nunez, were fatally shot while seated in their parked SUV on Englewood Avenue in Worcester’s Columbus Park neighborhood. Neighbors reported hearing a dozen or more shots fired in rapid succession; police described the daylight attack as an ambush in which the vehicle was sprayed with gunfire. Both victims were taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead.

Investigators quickly identified two suspects, both from Worcester: 28-year-old Karel Mangual and 27-year-old Dejan Belnavis. Surveillance footage reportedly showed two men approach the parked SUV and open fire before fleeing in a white sedan that had been seen circling the area. Mangual was arrested the day after the shooting; Belnavis was located and arrested in San Diego on March 11 following a traffic stop. Both men have been indicted on two counts of murder and are being held without bail. A motive has not been publicly released. Chasity Nunez served in the Connecticut National Guard and was remembered for her dedication and vibrant personality.

Did anyone in Worcester see or hear something that night that could help piece together what happened?