Police have charged a third person in connection with a fatal shooting outside a courthouse in Waterbury last month and expect to charge at least one more suspect.
Nicholas Chiapponi, 26, of Glastonbury was arrested Wednesday in connection with the death of 26-year-old Jarron Chapman, according to the Waterbury Police Department.
He was taken into custody by Waterbury Major Crimes Detectives at his home on charges of murder and conspiracy at murder, police said.
Chiapponi was held on a $3 million bond and was expected to be arraigned in Waterbury Superior Court on Thursday. He is the third suspect to be charged in the fatal shooting of Chapman, who was gunned down on March 21 outside the courthouse just minutes after he appeared before a judge on multiple cases and was granted a continuance, according to police.
Last week, police arrested 21-year-old Deera Nelson and 29-year-old Dante Howell, both of Meriden. They each face charges of murder and conspiracy at murder, according to police.
Nelson, who remains held on a $3 million bond, also faces one count of hindering prosecution. Howell, who is being held on a $5 million bond, also faces multiple firearm and other charges.
Police have not released a motive for the killing, and judicial officials this week said the arrest warrant in the case has been ordered sealed by a judge.
According to police, officers responded to the courthouse, located at 400 Grand St., just after 11:40 a.m. on the report of shots fired and found Chapman suffering from gunshot injuries. He was rushed to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.
According to Ioannis Kaloidis, the attorney who represented Chapman, his client was gunned down just moments after he shook hands with him and said he would see him at his next court date. Kaloidis previously told the Hartford Courant Chapman was shot in front of his 2-year-old daughter and a woman he was with — neither of whom were injured.
Kaloidis said the gunman pulled up on a motorcycle, approached Chapman and shot him before fleeing on the bike. He said it was a targeted attack involving someone who knew that Chapman would be at court that day.
Kaloidis also previously said his client’s pending cases would not appear to serve as motivation for someone wanting him killed.
Court records indicate one of Chapman’s three cases was a violation of probation and the others involved threatening, assault, firearm and drug charges.
According to police, the shooting remains under investigation. At least one additional arrest is expected, police said.
