Police Investigate 3 Unsolved Homicides in New Haven

Three homicides in less than three weeks in New Haven and all of them unsolved. It's an issue police say is taxing to not only them, but the community.

  • April 6: Store clerk Sanja Patel, was found gunned down inside his Citgo gas station on Forbes Avenue.
  • April 19: The body of 16-year-old Jericho Scott was found outside his home on Exchange Street.
  • April 20: Lyndell Moore was found shot in his car on the corner of Orchard and Charles Street.

“Really, this has been a tough last couple of days,” said Officer David Hartman, spokesperson with the New Haven Police Department.

It's been so tough, Hartman said most of the New Haven Police Department is on at least one of these cases.

They've spent long hours investigating, hoping for tips to solve what happened to the victims.

"If you have a homicide one afternoon and you have all of your detectives working and up for 18 hours and they’re ready to go home and there’s another homicide, they’re not going home. They’re going right out to the next one," said Hartman.

So why the violent crime lately in New Haven? James Newman, pastor of Freedom Missionary Baptist Church, said he believes it all comes down to the community.

“We’ve got to stop turning our heads we’ve got to live up to the responsibility that it’s up to me," said Newman.

Police officials say the issues stem from residents’ questionable decisions that could possibly lead to someone getting hurt.

"The issue is gun violence, the issue is people getting assaulted and people getting killed. One can imagine the difference between homicide and assault is standing one inch to the left or one inch to the right," said Hartman.

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