x
Breaking News
More () »

Chinese food delivery woman shot and killed in Waterbury, 4 teens charged with murder

WATERBURY — Four teens have been arrested in connection with the murder of a woman who was out delivering Chinese food in Waterbury Tuesday night. Helena ...
waterbury chinese delivery murder

WATERBURY -- Four teens have been arrested in connection with the murder of a woman who was out delivering Chinese food in Waterbury Tuesday night.

Helena Vargas, 59, of Waterbury was found shot in the passenger side of a car outside 70 Linden St. about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday. She was taken from the scene and died at the hospital.

Police said the delivery driver, a 60-year-old man, identified as Rolando Alvarez, was assaulted and robbed of his money in the car outside the home on Linden Street. Both were in the middle of several deliveries for the Golden Wok restaurant on East Main Street, police said. Friends told Fox 61 Vargas was just helping out her sister who owns the restaurant.

Alvarez called police to report the crime. According to court documents, Alvarez said he stopped at the home and saw two women. He asked who ordered food, and when neither answered he got out of the car and began to cross the street to the house. When he asked again, one woman said they ordered the food but needed to go get money for it.

As the women were walking around the side of the home, two men came out of the home and approached him. The men approached him, and one asked for his money and phone. That man put his hands in Alvarez's pockets to take his belongings, while the second man walked to the side of the car where Vargas was sitting.

Alvarez heard Vargas scream "Papi! Papi!" and then heard two "pops," which he thought were gun shots.

Listen to the call to 9-1-1:

The two men then ran back to the side of the house they had come from. Alvarez saw the two women run inside behind the men. Alvarez ran to use Vargas' phone since his was stolen, but he couldn't work it so he ran to a nearby convenience store. By the time he returned police were on the scene.

On Wednesday, four people were arrested in connection with the shooting, all teenagers.

19-year-old Anthony Wright of New York, the other male and two females are all facing murder charges. The other three are juveniles and therefore not being publicly identified.

Wright, who is being held on $2.5 million bond, is a member of the Crips street gang and has a rap sheet that includes robbery in the first degree, according to officials. He also has a pending probation violation, and prosecutors argued that he should be considered a flight risk during a Wednesday court appearance.

Police believe the people were targeted in the incident and that at least one of the four arrested had called the restaurant to make the delivery order. Investigators said all four of the suspects blamed each other when they were interviewed about what happened.

Before You Leave, Check This Out