(New Haven, CT) - New Haven Judicial District State’s Attorney John P. Doyle, Jr. announced that the Honorable Peter L. Brown today sentenced Octavius Kindred, age 42, of New Haven, to serve 100 years in prison, and 20 years of special parole for the 2021 murders of Jeffrey Dotson and Alfreda Youmans in New Haven.
A New Haven Superior Court jury on May 21, 2026 found Kindred guilty of two counts of Murder, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-54a and one count of Criminal Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-217(a)(1).
Evidence presented during the trial showed that on January 10, 2021, the defendant and an unidentified accomplice entered the New Haven home of Alfreda Youmans, age 50, where Kindred fatally shot her and her houseguest, Jeffrey Dotson, age 42, at approximately 2:40 a.m. Both victims received fatal gunshot wounds to the head. Kindred, a convicted felon, was prohibited under state law from possessing a firearm. During today’s sentencing hearing, Judge Brown said the defendant had “no respect for human life” and is a “danger to society.”
The case was investigated by the New Haven Police Department Homicide Unit with David Zaweski and Gregory Dash as the lead detectives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Charles Johnson and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Adrienne Russo with assistance from Inspector Sean Faughnan and Inspector Eric Tracy.
State’s Attorney Doyle would like to extend his gratitude to the New Haven Police Department for their investigative efforts and to the families of the victims who were present for the sentencing. The defendant was sentenced in absentia after refusing to leave the courthouse lockup and attend the court hearing.