Contributed
The late Keiron Jones.
Days after completing a case to arrest two men for allegedly murdering a 17-year-old New Havener, a team of detectives applied for a warrant for another murder arrest — and then started work on the latest possibly fatal shooting.
Those detectives’ consistent efforts were highlighted Thursday at a press conference announcing the arrest of two men for allegedly murdering Keiron Jones, a popular Hillhouse High junior, in what is believed to have been a random robbery in March 2022. (Click here for a previous story about that case, about Keiron, and about community members celebrating his life at a candlelight vigil.)
One of the arrested men — who had separate gun and narcotics charges pending against him at the time of the arrest — is 19 years old. He is charged with felony murder, first-degree robbery, and having an unpermitted pistol, among other charges. The other arrestee, who’s 21, was charged with felony murder, first-degree robbery, and conspiracy to commit murder. He was already behind bars on four sets of pending weapons and assault charges. Each arrestee is being held on $2 million bond. They haven’t entered pleas in the case.
Paul Bass Photo
“He was loved by everyone. Everyone that met him loved him,” Keiron’s grandmother, Carmen Torres (pictured above at center with other family members), said at the press conference at 1 Union Ave.
“We’re not going to give up. We’re going to keep working on these cases and keep moving forward and doing everything to stop violence and everything hold people responsible,” Police Chief Karl Jacobson said.
He singled out the detective team that conducted interviews with community members and combed surveillance video to build the case (pictured above from left): Larnell Jackson, Ann Testa, Michael Haines, Carmello Rivera (the lead investigator), Thomas Blaisdell, and Sgt. Carlos Conceicao, the supervisor.
Days after the arrest in this case, the same team of detectives wrapped up work and submitted an arrest warrant in a separate 2023 murder, Jacobson said.
On Thursday they began investigating a shooting that occurred Wednesday around 6:35 p.m. at the corner of Dixwell Avenue and West Hazel Street. The victim, as yet unidentified, is in critical condition with life-threatening injuries, according to the chief.
“As we’re gathering to meet with the family” of Keiron Jones Thursday, Jacobson said, the detectives were “talking about how they’re going to solve the one from last night. They’re not celebrating.” They have work to do.