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Vernon Motel Owner Killed Over $10 Pool Pass Argument: Court Documents

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The owner of a motel was shot and killed Sunday during an argument with a guest over a pool pass, according to an arrest affidavit.

The shooting happened at the Motel 6 on Hartford Turnpike around 4 p.m., authorities said.

Police said 30-year-old Zeshan Chaudhry, of Vernon, was shot multiple times. He was transported to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The suspect has been identified as 31-year-old Alvin Waugh, of Hartford.

Waugh and his girlfriend had been staying at the motel for about a month, according to court documents.

Waugh's girlfriend told police she asked Chaudhry about using the pool and began arguing with him after he told her she would have to pay $10 for a pool pass.

Waugh joined the argument and at one point Chaudhry kicked the couple out of the motel and told the staff to lock them out of their room, according to the documents.

Officials said a man is dead after a motel shooting in Vernon this afternoon and police remain at the scene investigating.

That's when Waugh left the pool area and returned to his room. He returned with a gun and after arguing with Chaudhry again, shot the motel owner several times, according to the arrest affidavit.

Domingo Gonzalez, the motel's head of maintenance, said he is still trying to make sense of how a fight about a pool pass ended with a murder.

"He just tried to give everybody the benefit of the doubt and he gave one person, the wrong person the benefit of the doubt," said Gonzalez. "That’s why he’s not here now." 

According to Gonzalez, Chaudhry charged $5 for a pool fee for hotel guests and $10 for non-guests. Gonzalez said Waugh's girlfriend was the official hotel guest was told to pay $10 because Chaudhry "knew who the pass was really for" in Waugh.

Waugh ran from the scene after the shooting and ended up in the woods about a mile away.

While police were at the motel, Waugh called his girlfriend and talked to officers, saying he wanted to turn himself in. Police took him into custody and found the gun in a body of water where Waugh told them he tossed it, according to the court documents. According to officials, the gun was homemade.

Police said the shooting was captured on surveillance camera and it was revealed in court that there were multiple eyewitnesses.

Once under arrest, police said Waugh confessed to the killing, according to the arrest affidavit.

One person was taken into custody after a motel shooting in Vernon this afternoon and police remain at the scene actively investigating.

Waugh is facing charges including murder, criminal use of a weapon, use of a firearm for a felony, carrying a firearm without a permit, tampering with physical evidence, reckless endangerment and risk of injury.

He appeared in court Monday where a judge ordered him held on $2 million bond.

Gonzalez said Chaudry was just trying to run a business.

"He was all about the customers, trying to give them a better experience in our hotel," Gonzalez said about Chaudry.

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