Authorities in Worcester, Massachusetts, have launched a manhunt for a 27-year-old man suspected of being an accomplice in the shooting homicide of a mother and her 11-year-old daughter.
On Tuesday, March 5, Chasity Nunez, 27, a National Guardswoman, and her 11-year-old legally blind daughter, Zella Nunez, were discovered fatally shot inside their parked vehicle which had over a dozen bullet holes on the driver’s side, prompting an immediate and intense search for the suspect.
Authorities have labeled the suspect, Dejan Belnavis, as armed and dangerous. He is described as 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing around 160 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Belnavis faces charges of armed assault with intent to murder and possession of a firearm without a license. He has a voluminous arrest record dating to 2013 for offenses such as assault and battery, strangulation/suffocation of a girlfriend, resisting arrest, breaking and entering, and several years of suspended licenses, speeding, and drug possession.
The Worcester Police Department, under the leadership of Interim Police Chief Paul Saucier, is spearheading the investigation with help from the community and various law enforcement agencies.
The incident occurred just after 3 pm in a usually tranquil neighborhood on Lisbon Street near Englewood Avenue.
Authorities have already arrested Karel Mangual, 28, in relation to the shooting. Mangual is facing charges of carrying a firearm without a license and armed assault to murder. Manqual had a pre-existing arrest warrant when apprehended. He is held without bail and is scheduled to appear in court on March 12.
Surveillance video showed two men approaching the vehicle and shooting before fleeing in a getaway car to Hartford, Connecticut, where Mangual and Belnavis have relatives. The car was later found near a relative’s home. Documents also indicate Belnavis’ phone was in the area at the time of the shooting.
Worcester City Manager Eric Batista and Mayor Joseph Petty, alongside Superintendent of Schools Rachel Monárrez, have issued a joint statement condemning the violence and pledging support for the grieving community.
Investigators have revealed that the attack on the Nunez family occurred in broad daylight, with their vehicle being targeted with gunfire in what appears to be a deliberate and malicious act.
Chasity Nunez, remembered by relatives as a devoted mother, leaves behind another daughter, only two years old. Nuñez joined the National Guard in 2020 and received honors like the National Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and the Army Achievement Medal. Since July 2023 she also worked in the MIT Health system as a Patient Safety & Clinical Quality Program Coordinator.
In the wake of the shooting, local officials and law enforcement are calling on anyone with information to come forward.
The search for Belnavis involves several law enforcement agencies and has extended beyond the immediate area. Authorities are using every available resource to track down the suspect.
As the investigation unfolds, the Worcester community stands united in its grief and determination. The tragic loss of Chasity and Zella Nunez has not only left a void in the hearts of those who knew them but has also sparked a broader conversation about violence and safety in the community.
Michael Mahoney, a neighbor in the area, told NBC 10 Boston, “I was getting ready to run up to the store, and I heard a couple of shots fired from something that sounded like a machine gun. Scary that you got to worry about getting shot in your own neighborhood, you know?”