CT man found guilty of murder in 2021 shooting in Hartford

A Connecticut man has been found guilty of murder in connection with a fatal shooting in Hartford in 2021.

According to the Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice, on Nov. 22, a Hartford Superior Court jury convicted 33-year-old Daniel Lopez of Hartford of murder.

Judge Kevin C. Doyle also found Lopez guilty of two counts of criminal possession of a firearm/ammunition.

On April 14, 2021, at approximately 11:40 p.m., Hartford Police Department officers were dispatched to Babcock Street in the Frog Hollow neighborhood for a report of an unconscious person in a car. Arriving officers found 31-year-old Heriberto Garcia of Hartford suffering from a single gunshot wound to the upper chest, court records show.

Officers began life-saving measures on Garcia until paramedics arrived. He was then taken to Hartford Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to court records.

Court records show a witness spoke to police and identified Lopez as the shooter. The witness reportedly said he looked into the car and saw Garcia sitting in the passenger seat and Lopez sitting in the back seat directly behind Garcia. The witness told police she saw Lopez holding Garcia in a headlock from behind when they heard a single gunshot and saw the flash of a gun, according to court documents.

Court records show Garcia reportedly fell forward in the car and the witness “immediately began to render aid.”

According to court documents, Lopez got out of the car, threatened to shoot the witness and fled the scene. The witness then called 911 to report the incident.

Lopez’s sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 31, 2025, in Hartford Superior Court, the DCJ said.