Hartford Murderer/Rapist Gets Decades Behind Bars: State

HARTFORD, CT — After dodging the death penalty, a Hartford man will spend most of the rest of his life behind bars for the brutal rape and murder of a 21-year-old Hartford woman more than two decades ago.

Sharmese L. Walcott, Hartford State’s Attorney, announced Tuesday Connectiuct Superior Court Judge David P. Gold Monday sentenced Lazale Ashby, 38, to 46 ½ years in prison for the December 2002 murder of 21-year-old Elizabeth Garcia in Hartford.

Walcott said Ashby was actually sentenced to death after he was convicted in January 2008 of two counts of capital felony, murder, felony murder, first-degree sexual assault, three counts of first-degree kidnapping and first-degree burglary.

But, authorities said, following the 2015 decision by the Connecticut Supreme Court to abolish the death penalty, Ashby was resentenced to life in prison without the possibility of release, plus 125 years.

In August 2020, the Connecticut Supreme Court overturned Ashby’s conviction.

While awaiting trial, Ashby pleaded guilty to a charge of murder.

According to trial testimony, the victim’s body was found in her Hartford apartment on Dec. 2, 2002.

An investigation showed she had been badly beaten, stabbed, sexually assaulted, strangled and left to die on the floor of her apartment.

DNA evidence linked Ashby to the crime and he was arrested in 2003.

When interviewed, Ashby confessed to the killing, Walcott said.

The case was prosecuted by Connecticut Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney John F. Fahey.