Police have made two arrests in connection with the homicide of a man who was kidnapped in Hartford, shot in the head and left for dead on Riverview Street in Portland on September 5.
Police have arrested a woman and a man and charged them with the murder of Christopher "T.J." Jefferson, 26, of Bond Street in Hartford.
Police arrested Madelyne Martinez-Mercado, 23, of New Britain, and Talib Shaheer, 32, of Waterbury and said they are accused of shooting Jefferson while trying to steal marijuana from them.
Martinez-Mercado was found yesterday in New Britain and booked this morning after the arrest warrant was completed.
Shaheer, who police identified as the driver, was taken into custody on this afternoon in Waterbury and is being booked in Hartford.
A witness called police on Sept. 5 after finding Jefferson unconscious on the side of the road around 3 p.m. that day, according to authorities. Neighbors said he was half naked and wearing only boxers.
He had been shot in the head, badly beaten and was unconscious, police said.
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A witness, identified only as Glenda, said she saw the whole thing happen. Glenda said the car ran a stop sign, and the woman had a gun.
Police said today that witnesses saw a woman holding a gun to the Jefferson's head and he tried to escape as the car drove off.
According to police, Jefferson got into the back seat of the car with Martinez-Mercado and Shaheer to "conduct a transaction" and the suspects tried to steal marijuana from him.
Martinez-Mercado pointed a gun at Jefferson, according to police, and Jefferson was shot once in the head during a struggle as they were on Bond Street.
The two suspects then brought Jefferson to Portland and abandoned him, police said.
