The hunt is on for an “armed and dangerous” gunman accused of killing a young MIT scientist and her blind daughter as they sat in a car outside their home.
27-year-old Chastity Nunez, a mother of two from Massachusetts, was murdered along with 11-year-old Zella on a street full of children in Worcester on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
Karel Mangual, 28, was arrested last night and will appear in court today as police search for his suspected accomplice Dejan Belnavis, 27.
Chastity’s mother Noemi Nunez said she had never heard of either man, and cousin Tyrae Sims said the killers had no motive for the “senseless” killing.
“In any inner city, anyone with any morals understands that there have always been no women and no children,” he told NBC Boston.
Chastity Nunez, 27, was described as ‘the best mother she could ever be’ to daughter Zella, 11, who was killed with her on Wednesday
The driver’s window of their car was riddled with bullet holes as neighbors described hearing what sounded like a ‘machine gun’
Police are hunting for ‘armed and dangerous’ Dejan Belnavis as second suspect Karel Mangual prepares to appear in court today
“I just hope they realize the seriousness of what they just did. They took two beautiful souls away senselessly.”
Chastity’s SUV was riddled with bullets in the driver’s window, and when the investigation began, there were more than 30 police evidence markers on Lisbon Street at Englewood Avenue.
“It was around 3 o’clock, I was getting ready to run to the store, and I heard a few shots fired from what sounded like a machine gun,” said neighbor Michael Mahoney.
“Scary that you have to worry about getting shot in your own neighborhood, you know?”
Within hours, they had arrested Mangual from nearby Passway 3 Street in Worcester and requested information about Belnavis, whom they described as 6 feet tall, 160 pounds, armed and dangerous.
Chastity, who served in the National Guard in Connecticut, spent four years at Worcester State College and earned two master’s degrees before joining MIT last year, her mother said.
“She was a professional, she wasn’t like that, she was a hard worker who supported her daughters,” she added.
“We have no idea what happened.”
Chastity’s two-year-old daughter Isla was not in the car at the time and is being cared for by her father in Connecticut as her family tries to understand their loss.
“I thank God she wasn’t in the car,” said Sims, who was also Zella’s godfather. “It’s a terrible silver lining, I think.
“Zella was just the best,” he added, “so full of life, such a good girl.” She didn’t deserve it at all.
He described his cousin as the “best mother she could ever have been.”
“She loved those girls with all her heart,” he added.
“She’s gone, Zella’s gone and her other daughter has no mother and no big sister, it’s crazy.”
He said Zella was born prematurely and registered as legally blind, but had fought to overcome the challenges of her short life.
“She was happy, healthy, funny and just so loving, and she survived it all,” he added.
“It’s just not right to be perceived that way.”
Neighbors have been terrified by the murders on their doorstep.
“To be honest, I’m up all night and I can’t even sleep because it’s very disturbing that something like this happens on this street,” said Maureen Morales.
‘The neighborhood is very quiet, very family-oriented. You know your neighbors. You know your friends. You see them walking around. You’re away, you’re talking to them. It’s just unbelievable that this is happening.”
“It’s horrible,” said neighbor Bob Shepard.
“It’s not the neighborhood. This is a quiet, family neighborhood. You don’t have these kinds of things here.’
The killing was condemned in a joint statement from City Manager Eric Batista, Mayor Joseph Petty, Interim Police Chief Paul Saucier and Superintendent of Schools Rachel Monárrez.
“There is no place for such a violent act in our city,” they said.
“The people of Worcester deserve better, and we will stand with our community in grief and solidarity.”