Hartford Man Charged In 2010 Cold Case Killing: Authorities

Courtesy of Connecticut State Division of Criminal Justice

HARTFORD, CT — A Hartford man was charged Tuesday in connection with a murder at a Hartford smoke shop more than a dozen years ago.

Chief State’s Attorney Patrick J. Griffin announced Tuesday a joint investigation by the Cold Case Unit of the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney, the Hartford Police Department and the Hartford State’s Attorney’s Office has resulted in the arrest of a Hartford man charged with the Dec. 1, 2010 kidnapping and fatal shooting of Waqas “Victor” Rehman in Hartford.

Shawn Milner, 32, is charged with kidnapping the victim from the store he owned, The Smoker’s Shop on Barbour Street in Hartford, and fatally shooting him, according to state authorities.

Court records show a witness reported hearing the victim engaged in an altercation with someone who demanded money from the victim and for him to get into a car, state officials said.

Later while responding to a call of shots fired in the area, Hartford police officers found the victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, reported authorities.

He was taken to a hospital and later died.

The suspect was identified through DNA testing.

According to Tuesday's announcement, in 2022, a report was generated by the DNA Database Unit that indicated the DNA profile of a buccal swab from Milner could not be eliminated from a live round recovered at the crime scene where police found the wounded victim.

Milner faces charges of felony murder, murder and first-degree kidnapping and is being held on a $2 million bond and is scheduled to appear in Hartford Superior Court Feb. 14.

Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney John F. Fahey, head of the Cold Case Unit, said he is grateful to investigators in the unit, the Hartford State’s Attorney’s Office and the Hartford Police Department.

“Investigators worked hard to make an arrest in this case,” Fahey said. “Mr. Rehman senselessly lost his life 12 years ago and detectives assigned to this case never forgot him and the family and friends who still mourn his death.”

“Due to the continued efforts of the Hartford Police Department, the Cold Case Unit and the Hartford State’s Attorney’s Office, another cold case murder has been solved and closure has been brought to another family,” said Hartford police Lt. Aaron Boisvert, head of the Major Crimes Unit.

“This arrest is a reminder that cold case homicide investigations are never closed. Until they are solved, they are always open and constantly being investigated by the dedicated detectives assigned to these cases.”

For more information on this arrest, click on this link.