CT man held on $3M bond on murder charge after woman found fatally shot
A New Hartford man faces murder and other charges after a woman who was found shot outside a home in that town died, state police said Sunday.
Efrain Vazquez, 50, also is charged with tampering with physical evidence, criminal possession of a firearm and unlawful discharge of a firearm, state police said. He is being held in lieu of $3 million bail and is due at Superior Court in Torrington on Monday, Oct. 16, state police said.
State police said troopers went to the New Hartford address just before 11:30 a.m. Saturday after Troop B in North Canaan received a 911 call reporting an “active disturbance.” State police said the caller reported seeing a person lying on the ground at the home.
The responding troopers, as well as New Hartford officers “arrived at the address at approximately 11:33 a.m. and located an adult female lying in the driveway with an apparent gunshot wound,” state police said in a statement Sunday.
The investigators then saw an adult male exit and re-enter the home, closing the door, after seeing the troopers and officers, state police said. The man didn’t respond to verbal directives to leave the home, state police said.
“In the interest of safety, Troopers and Officers temporarily disengaged from the residence. A short time later, investigators re-approached the residence observed the same male on the ground,” state police said in the statement. “The male was promptly secured and detained.”
As the man, identified as Efrain Vazquez, appeared to be experiencing a medical issue, he was taken to a medical facility for evaluation and treatment, state police said.
The female was pronounced dead at the scene and Western District Major Crime Detectives assumed the investigation, state police said.
The female was taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, state police said.
State police said that the troopers who checked the inside of the house found “signs consistent with a violent struggle.” Further, a “red substance consistent with the appearance of blood was observed on clothing worn by Efrain Vazquez,” state police said.
The identity of the female victim was not released pending confirmation by OCME, state police said.
State police said that based “upon information including but not limited to, observations made at the scene, physical evidence secured, and witness interviews,” detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Vazquez, who was charged Sunday.
Vazquez was taken to the Torrington Police Department, where he was processed and charged, state police said.