WORCESTER, Mass. - The second of two men charged in the murder of Chasity Nuñez and her daughter Zella faces a judge in Worcester Superior Court Friday.
Dejan Belnavis is facing two murder charges for his role in the killing of Nuñez and her 11-year-old daughter. The two were killed on March 5 in the area of Lisbon Street.
In front of a full courtroom that featured gang unit police officers and family members of the victims, the 27-year-old who even flashed a smile at one point and pleaded not guilty. The district attorney's office says Belnavis was brought to Massachusetts in the early hours of Friday morning. He was found and arrested in San Diego, California on the evening of March 11, nearly a week after Nuñez and her daughter were killed.
According to court documents, security footage obtained by police shows two men walk up and start shooting the car the victims were in, before running away. Police were able to track Belnavis through the white sedan he was driving as well as his cellphone records, which suggested he was in the area of Lisbon Street at the time of the shooting.
Belnavis was ordered held without bail. He's also being charged with carrying a firearm without a license. He'll be back in court on May 2 for a probable cause hearing.
Karel Mangual, 28, was the other person arrested in connection with the shooting. He too is facing two counts of murder, pleading not guilty. He's being held without bail and is expected back in court on April 12.