After Arrest, Belnavis To Face Murder Charge In Killing Of Mother, Daughter

WORCESTER, MA — A suspect wanted in the killing last week of Chasity Nuñez and her 11-year-old daughter, Zella, was captured in California on Monday, according to Worcester police.

Dejan Belnavis was the subject of an interstate search involving local and federal law enforcement across New England. He was arrested after a motor vehicle stop near the San Diego Zoo just before 6 p.m. eastern time on Monday, just under a week after the mother and daughter were shot along Lisbon Street.

It's unclear when Belnavis will return to Worcester to face charges, but Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. said he will be charged with murder when he does. He had initially been sought on charges of armed assault to murder and illegal possession of a gun.

A second suspect, Karol Mangual, 28, was arrested Wednesday in Worcester. He was also initially arrested on an armed assault to murder charge, but he will be charged with murder as soon as Tuesday, Early said.

"[Worcester police are] putting together a solid case," Early said at a news conference Monday responding to a question about the upgraded murder charges.

Both Belnavis and Mangual were tracked to Hartford immediately following the shooting. U.S. Marshals in Maine and Rhode Island, plus San Diego police, helped make the Belnavis arrest. Belnavis could fight extradition, meaning it would take longer for him to return to Massachusetts to face charges.

Police had stepped up their search for Belnavis over the weekend, releasing new photos of him and increasing a reward from $5,000 to $10,000.