A man has been convicted on murder and kidnapping charges in connection with a fatal shooting in Hartford in 2010 — a case that went cold for over a decade.
A jury handed down a guilty verdict last Thursday against 35-year-old Shawn Milner of Hartford following a trial in Hartford Superior Court, according to the state Division of Criminal Justice. He was found guilty on two counts of murder and one count of first-degree kidnapping in the killing of 42-year-old Waqas “Victor” Rehman of Farmington.
The charges stem from a shooting in December 2010 that started as a kidnapping at Rehman’s business, The Smoker’s Stop on Barbour Street, DCJ officials said. Authorities believe Milner demanded money from Rehman on the sidewalk and told him to get into a car.
As officers responded to the report of an abduction, they also received a report of shots being fired on Nelson Street, not far away from Barbour Street, officials said. Officers with the Hartford Police Department who responded to Nelson Street found Rehman suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, according to the DCJ. He was taken to a hospital and later died.
The investigation went cold for more than 10 years before authorities said Milner was connected to the shooting through DNA evidence in 2022. He was charged following a joint investigation by the Cold Case Unit of the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney, Hartford Police Department and the Hartford Judicial District State’s Attorney’s Office.
According to the DCJ, the evidence introduced at trial included Milner’s DNA being found in Rehman’s vehicle and on his clothing.
Milner remains held in lieu of a $2 million bond and is scheduled to face sentencing on March 23.
This case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant State’s Attorneys Elena Palermo and Terence D. Mariani, Jr. of the Statewide Prosecution Bureau in the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney, officials said. They received assistance from Supervisory Inspector Michael Sheldon, Inspector Elisa Mattei, retired Inspector Douglas Jowett, Paralegal Specialist Suzanne Colley, state Department of Correction liaison Officer Kevin Rival and retired Hartford Police Detective Andrew Jacobson.