Hartford Brothers Guilty Of Killing Man In 2020 Shooting: State

HARTFORD, CT — A state superior court jury this week has found two brothers from Hartford with the same name guilty of murder after they killed a 19-year-old Hartford man in 2020.

Sharmese L. Walcott, Hartford State’s Attorney, said Friday a jury on Wednesday found two Hartford brothers, both named Edwin Franqui, guilty of the 2020 fatal shooting of Junny Lara-Velazquez, 19, in Hartford.

She said Edwin Franqui, 32, was found guilty of murder; conspiracy to commit murder; first-degree assault; and criminal possession of a firearm.

Meanwhile, she said the other man named Edwin Franqui, 27, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder; accessory to murder; and accessory to first-degree assault.

Testimony presented at trial showed on July 6, 2020, the victim was driving with two passengers in a Honda in Hartford when an Infiniti pulled alongside the victim’s car.

Walcott said approximately eight to 10 rounds were fired from the Infiniti into the Honda striking Lara-Velazquez and one of the passengers.

The foot of Lara-Velazquez became stuck in the vehicle’s accelerator, causing the Honda to keep traveling until it crashed into a building in West Hartford, she said.

Lara-Velazquez was taken to Hartford Hospital where he was later pronounced dead from a gunshot wound to the head.

The passengers were both transported to the hospital and treated for injuries.

One of the passengers identified the Franqui brothers as being responsible for the shooting, Walcott said.

Police located another witness who was able to identify the brothers as the perpetrators of the shooting, she said.

The witness told police one of the brothers confessed to the murder, according to Walcott.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 25 in Hartford Superior Court.

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