Man Pleads Guilty To Conspiracy To Commit Murder Charge In Derby Shooting Case: Feds

DERBY, CT — A 29-year-old Ansonia man pleaded guilty Thursday to a conspiracy to commit murder charge connected to a 2017 shooting death in Derby, Ansonia/Milford Judicial District State's Attorney Margaret Kelley announced in a news release.

According to Kelley, Rhameir Bush's plea stems from the shooting death of 21-year-old Jajuan Benavides by Jacob "Jewla" Freeman on Anson Street in Derby on Aug. 11, 2017.

Surveillance footage and call detail records determined Freeman and Bush were in the area of Anson and 6th streets around 11:30 p.m. on Aug. 10, 2017, and interacted with Benavides, Kelley said. Freeman and Bush were later seen leaving the area around 11:55 p.m.

Evidence showed a dark Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Bush later dropped off Freeman, who was wearing a mask and dressed in all black, around 1:48 a.m. on Aug. 11, 2017, according to Kelley.

Video surveillance footage showed Bush walking down 6th Street to the corner at Anson Street and looking down Anson Street moments before the shooting. Freeman then chased Benavides down Anson Street and shot him three times, according to Kelley.

About a year and a half after the fatal shooting, a jailhouse witness provided numerous details to authorities about the incident, including that Freeman told him that he returned to the Anson Street area masked up and pulled his gun out on Benavides and shot at him, Kelley said.

The witness told investigators Freeman told him he shot Benavides, "stood over him and let him have it," and watched as he fell to the ground, according to Kelley.

Freeman told the witness Benavides was saying "chill Jewla chill," and the witness said Freeman was wearing black pants, a black hoodie and a mask at the time of the crime, Kelley said.

The witness also indicated to investigators that Freeman was with a person he knew by the name "YB," later determined to be Bush, according to Kelley.

Bush was later shown stills from the video surveillance on the night of the shooting during an interview, and he identified himself at the corner of Anson and Sixth streets moments before the shooting, according to Kelley.

Bush is scheduled to be sentenced on March 7 in Milford Superior Court, where her is set to receive 20 years suspended after 14 years served, followed by five years of probation, Kelley said.