A Connecticut man arrested last week on drug offenses in Brattleboro is now facing a murder charge in a fatal shooting in that town earlier this year.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Elias Lopez, 18, of Hartford, Connecticut, on a charge of second-degree murder in the March 30 death of 21-year-old Tamico Williams, also of Hartford, according to a Vermont State Police release and charging documents filed in court.
Police allege that Lopez shot Williams in a residence at 14 Birge St. in Brattleboro.
Lopez has been held in custody in Vermont since his arrest last Thursday on a federal drug distribution charge after police raided a residence on Linden Street in Brattleboro, according to the state police release.
He is due in U.S. District Court in Burlington for a hearing on that drug charge Wednesday. No date has yet been set in state court in Brattleboro for his arraignment on the murder charge.
According to the release, the fatal shooting on March 30 occurred during a physical altercation between Lopez and Williams arising from a dispute related to selling drugs inside the Birge Street apartment.
Following Williams’ autopsy, the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington ruled that he died as a result of gunshot wounds to his torso and the manner of his death was homicide, according to a police affidavit filed in state court.
The affidavit also stated that police interviewed witnesses, including those who were at the apartment when the shooting took place leading authorities to identify Lopez as the alleged shooter.
Police arriving at the scene found Williams lying on the kitchen floor, according to the charging document.
“A revolver handgun could be seen on the floor beside him,” the filing stated, adding, “Officers observed three shell casings and three holes in a wall inside the apartment.”
If convicted on the second degree murder charge, Lopez faces up to 20 years to life in prison.
