THE MURDER OF SARA PALENZA QUEEN OF DIAMONDS IN COLD CASE DECK OF CARDS
DATE OF INCIDENT FEBRUARY 23RD, 2006
TIME OF INCIDENT 0044 HOURS
LOCATION OF INCIDENT AREA OF 550 ALBANY AVENUE, HARTFORD, CT.
TYPE OF INCIDENT FIREARM INCIDENT
CAUSE OF DEATH GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE BACK OF HER HEAD
MANNER OF DEATH HOMICIDE
By Christopher J. Lyons
On February 23rd, 2006 at approximately 0044 hours Hartford Police received a report of several shots fired at a vehicle at the intersection of Albany Avenue and Garden Street, in Hartford. When they arrived they located the crime scene and recovered seven bullet casings.
In that incident a local man named Dementrius Nave was operating a rental vehicle that had been procured for his use by an East Hartford resident named Sara Palenza. Sara had been hanging out with Nave for several weeks prior to her murder and had rented vehicles for Nave in the past so they could drive around together. Dementrius Nave was the type of guy who had violent run-ins with many people in the city of Hartford and was a known criminal. He has an extensive criminal felony record and has been placed under arrest by federal and local authorities throughout the State of Connecticut.
As Nave drove past the intersection of Albany Avenue and Garden Street, a gunman fired seven shots from a 45 caliber handgun and into the vehicle. Nave, ducked, Sara did not. He pressed on the gas pedal to get away from the shooter and when he turned to check on Sara found that she had been shot in the head, was slumped over in the car and unconscious. Nave drove directly to St. Francis Hospital to get help for Sara. At St. Francis Hospital Sara was found to be brain-dead and clinging to life. She died later that day at the hospital.
Sara Palenza was the unintended victim in this shooting. The target was Dementrius Nave.
Nave had been the driver of another vehicle on January 30th, 2006 in which he was shot at and a female named Wendy Williams who was a passenger in that car was murdered. In that case Nave dropped off the vehicle with her lifeless body inside. In the week prior to her murder Sara was a passenger in another rental vehicle with Nave and he was shot at. In that first encounter , Sara and Nave escaped injury. She was not so lucky on February 23rd, 2006 when she was shot in the back of the head and killed. Being with Dementrius Nave cost Sara Palenza her life.
In the investigation that followed Hartford Police were able to identify several persons of interest but was unable to get any witnesses willing to testify. It's been nearly 10 years since Sara was killed because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is time for her case to be solved.