The search begins for an “armed and dangerous” gunman accused of murdering a young MIT scientist and her blind daughter with a hail of bullets as they sat in a car outside their home.
Chastity Nunez, 27, a mother of two from Massachusetts, was murdered along with eleven-year-old Zella on a street full of children at 3 p.m. in Worcester on Wednesday.
Karel Mangual, 28, was arrested last night and is due to appear in court today as police search for his alleged accomplice Dejan Belnavis, 27.
Chastity’s mother, Noemí Núñez, said she had never heard of either man, and her cousin Tyrae Sims said the killers had no motive for the “senseless” killing.
“In any downtown, anyone who has any kind of morality understands that there have never been women or children,” he told NBC Boston.
Chastity Nunez, 27, was described as “the best mother I could be” to her 11-year-old daughter Zella, who was killed alongside her on Wednesday.
The driver’s window of his car was riddled with bullet holes as neighbors described hearing what sounded like a “machine gun.”
Police are searching for the “armed and dangerous” Dejan Belnavis, while the second suspect, Karel Mangual, prepares to appear in court today.
‘I just hope they know the seriousness of what they just did. Two beautiful souls were taken senselessly.
Chastity’s truck was left riddled with bullets in the driver’s window, and more than 30 police evidence markers dotted Lisbon Street and Englewood Avenue when the investigation began.
“It was about 3 o’clock, I was getting ready to run to the store and I heard a couple shots from something that sounded like a machine gun,” said neighbor Michael Mahoney.
“It’s scary having to worry about getting shot in your own neighborhood, you know?”
Within hours they arrested Mangual on nearby 3 Passway Street in Worcester and asked for information about Belnavis, who they described as 5’11, 160 pounds, armed and dangerous.
Chastity, who served in the National Guard in Connecticut, spent four years at Worcester State College and earned two master’s degrees before starting work at MIT last year, her mother said.
“She was a professional, she didn’t go around, she was a great worker supporting her daughters,” he added.
“We have no idea what happened.”
Chastity’s two-year-old daughter, Isla, was not in the car at the time, and her father is caring for her in Connecticut while her family tries to make sense of their loss.
“I thank God she wasn’t in the car,” said Sims, who was also Zella’s godfather. “I guess that’s a horrible silver lining.”
“Zella was just the best,” he added, “so full of life, such a good girl.” She didn’t deserve it at all.
She described her cousin as “the best mother she could have been.”
“She loved those girls with all her heart,” he added.
“She’s gone, Zella’s gone and her other daughter is left without a mother and without a big sister, it’s crazy.”
He said Zella had been born prematurely and was registered as legally blind, but had struggled to overcome the challenges of her young life.
“She was happy, healthy, fun and very loving, and she overcame all that,” he added.
“To be taken like that, it’s just not right.”
The neighbors were terrified by the murders at the doors of their house.
“To be honest, I’ll be up all night and I won’t even be able to sleep because it’s so disturbing that something like this would happen on this street,” Maureen Morales said.
‘The neighborhood is very quiet, very familiar. You know your neighbors. You know your friends. You see them walking. You’re outside, you’re talking to them. For this to happen is just incredible.’
“It’s horrible,” said neighbor Bob Shepard.
‘It’s not the neighborhood. This is a quiet and family neighborhood. This kind of thing doesn’t happen here.’
The murder was condemned in a joint statement by City Manager Eric Batista, Mayor Joseph Petty, Interim Police Chief Paul Saucier and Schools Superintendent Rachel Monárrez.
“An act of violence like this has no place in our city,” they said.
“Worcester residents deserve better and we will stand with our community in grief and solidarity.”