Maria Laura Capon Bravo Rojas was a devoted wife and a loving mother to two young children. At 33 years old, the native of Ecuador was building a new life with her family in the United States. Together with her husband, she operated David's Flooring, a family-run business on Danbury Road in New Milford, Connecticut. Friends and family remembered her as a warm and kind person, dedicated to her children and the business she was helping to grow. Her life was rooted in the hope and hard work of an immigrant family creating a future in their new community.
That future was stolen on the morning of Wednesday, September 15, 2004. Sometime between 10:10 a.m. and 11:05 a.m., an unknown assailant entered the flooring store and brutally attacked Maria. She was found slain on the floor of the business, having suffered multiple blows to her head and shoulder with a blunt object. The attack was violent and swift, leaving a scene that would haunt investigators for years to come. Her husband discovered her body, and the bustling commercial strip on Route 7 was soon swarmed with police.
The New Milford Police Department, along with state authorities, launched an intensive investigation into the female homicide. Detectives canvassed the area and interviewed numerous individuals, but the case yielded few immediate leads. A critical piece of evidence, the murder weapon, was never recovered from the scene and has not been found in the two decades since the crime. The motive for the killing remained unclear, and with no signs of forced entry or robbery reported, investigators were left to piece together the final hour of Maria's life, searching for a clue that would lead them to her killer.
Over the years, the investigation has remained active, eventually being turned over to the Connecticut State's Attorney's Office Cold Case Unit. Detectives have revisited the evidence and re-interviewed potential witnesses, hoping that new technology or a change of heart might bring forth the missing piece of the puzzle. Despite these persistent efforts, no suspects have ever been publicly named, and no arrests have been made in connection with Maria's murder. The case is a painful open wound for her family and the New Milford community.
The passage of time has not diminished the family's quest for justice or the investigators' resolve to solve the case. On anniversaries of her death, appeals have been made to the public, reminding them of the vibrant life that was cut short and the family that was left behind to grieve. Law enforcement officials have expressed their belief that someone has information that could be crucial to breaking the case open and providing long-awaited answers.
As of late 2025, the murder of Maria Rojas remains an unsolved cold case. The State of Connecticut continues to offer a reward of up to $50,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for her death. Authorities urge anyone who may have seen something suspicious at or near David's Flooring at 441 Danbury Road on that September morning, or who may have heard something in the years since, to come forward. Tips can be directed to the New Milford Police Department at 860-355-2000, the Litchfield Judicial District State's Attorney at 860-567-0871, or the state's Cold Case Unit tip line at 1-866-623-8058.