US Marshals nab fugitive in Connecticut, wanted for murder and other crimes in Massachusetts

U.S. Marshals apprehended a Puerto Rican man in Willimantic, Connecticut on Thursday, who was wanted for allegedly shooting and killing a man in Massachusetts in December.

The U.S. Marshal’s Service said 28-year-old Lee George-Maldonado faces multiple charges in Fall River, Massachusetts, including murder, carrying a firearm without a license, attempting to commit a crime, kidnapping with a firearm, and two counts of attempted assault with a firearm. He also faces domestic violence charges in Puerto Rico.

Detectives with the Fall River Police Department investigated the shooting of 44-year-old Juan Castro, who was found dead outside his home on Bank Street on Dec. 23, 2023.

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Following the investigation, police obtained a warrant for Maldonado’s arrest on May 17, and requested assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service to locate and take him into custody.

Members of the U.S. Marshals Connecticut Violent Fugitive Task Force tracked Maldonado to a residence in Willimantic, Connecticut, where he was ultimately apprehended with the help of SWAT members from the Willimantic Police Department.

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Maldonado is currently being held, pending extradition to Massachusetts to face charges against him.

The Connecticut Violent Fugitive Task Force is made up of several agencies, including police departments in Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport, Norwalk and Waterbury, as well as U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.

The task force seeks out and arrests violent fugitives and sexual predators, and since the group's inception in 1999, they have arrested people wanted for being unregistered sex offenders or on charges of murder, assault, probation and parole violations and more.