2 Suspects Charged With Murder In Shooting At Stamford Hotel: Police

STAMFORD, CT — The Stamford Police Department on Tuesday announced two arrests in the October 2024 shooting death of a 59-year-old man at a city hotel.

Following "a meticulous investigation involving forensic analysis of both digital and physical evidence," Moises Alejandro Candollo-Urbaneja and Gregory Marlyn Galindez-Trias, two suspects who were previously arrested in connection with the case, have been charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and two counts of risk of injury to a minor, police said.

"We commend the exceptional work of our Major Crimes Unit and Crime Scene Unit for their thorough and relentless investigative efforts. We also recognize the Patrol Division for their quick and effective response during the initial stages of this case," police said Tuesday. "We hope that these arrests bring some measure of closure to the Samaniego family and help answer the painful question of who committed this crime against their loved one."

Police were called to the Super 8 hotel on Grenhart Road in Stamford on Oct. 14, 2024, on a report of a shooting at approximately 10:40 a.m.

Officers found Angel Samaniego with a gunshot wound, police said, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Samaniego's death was ruled as a homicide, police said.

Candollo-Urbaneja and Galindez-Trias were taken into custody by local law enforcement in Rensselaer, N.Y., about a week after the homicide, and they were charged with possession of stolen property, said police, who noted at the time the arrestees were found in possession of Samaniego's personal belongings.

Citing an arrest warrant, Stamford Advocate reported that new evidence suggests Candollo-Urbaneja and Galindez-Trias killed Samaniego as part of a plot to reestablish their lives in the U.S.

The Advocate noted that Galindez-Trias had been in a relationship with Samaniego, who had been supporting her with money and paying for expenses.

Candollo-Urbaneja and Galindez-Trias were extradited from Rensselaer, N.Y., back to Stamford last October where they were charged with first-degree larceny, conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny, third-degree identity theft, conspiracy to commit third-degree identity theft, and criminal liablity for acts of another.

The arrestees were each given court-set bonds of $7 million on the additional charges announced Tuesday, police said.

The SPD thanked the Detroit Police Department, Rensselaer Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their assistance, as well as the Stamford State's Attorney's Office.

An investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Sgt. Luis Serna at 203-977-4417. Anonymous tips can be submitted by texting the word "StamfordPD" followed by the tip to 847411 (tip411).

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