Two men have been arrested and charged in the killing of a Massachusetts man found in a burning car the day after Christmas in Hartford.
Investigators believe Francisco Ramon, 28, was kidnapped in Chicopee, where he lived, and killed before his assailants tried to dispose of his body the night of Dec. 26 in a burning car left on Shultas Place in the capital city, officials said Friday.
Brandon Batiste, 33, of Springfield, and Calvin Roberson, 38, of Waterbury, were arrested Thursday and now face federal charges for the slaying.
Hartford police and fire personnel were originally called to the area of 114 Shultas Place just after 8:40 p.m. on Dec. 26 for a reported car fire, Lt. Aaron Boisvert has said. While extinguishing the blaze, firefighters discovered a body in the back of the car that medical examiners later identified as Ramon, who had been reported missing Christmas Eve from his home in Massachusetts.
Local Connecticut and Massachusetts authorities partnered with the FBI’s gang task forces in both states to investigate and ultimately identified Batiste, known as “B,” and Roberson, who goes by “Cutty,” as suspects. Authorities have said only that the two men are believed to have kidnapped and fatally shot Ramon, but officials did not discuss a possible motive and federal affidavits in the case remained sealed Friday.
Batiste was arrested in Athens, Georgia, and Roberson was arrested in Waterbury. Both men were charged in federal district court with kidnapping resulting in death, conspiracy to commit kidnapping and causing the death using a firearm and both were still detained Friday.
If convicted, prosecutors could seek the death penalty for Batiste and Roberson or life in prison.
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