On a Halloween afternoon in Waterbury, Connecticut, 23-year-old Xavier Ryan Pellot was fatally shot. The shooting happened on October 31, 2022, at about 4 p.m. near the 100 block of Willow Street. Pellot was taken to Waterbury Hospital and was pronounced dead at 4:57 p.m., the city’s 14th homicide of the year.

Pellot was remembered by family for his infectious smile and a strong commitment to helping them; he attended Wilby High School and worked as a refuse collector. Waterbury Police Department Major Crimes detectives opened an immediate investigation and identified 43-year-old Clarence Rhodes as the primary suspect. Rhodes, a convicted felon with prior gun, narcotics, and violent offenses, was reportedly out on a $125,000 bond for three pending cases at the time of the shooting.

With help from the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, Rhodes was located in Jacksonville, Florida, arrested and extradited to Connecticut. He was charged with murder, criminal attempt at murder, criminal use of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a permit, illegal discharge of a firearm, and reckless endangerment, and was served with three warrants for failure to appear on prior cases; his total bond was set at $2.45 million.

If anyone knew Xavier or has information about the shooting, please share what is known.