(Hartford, CT) - Sharmese L. Walcott, Hartford Judicial District State’s Attorney, today announced that Vincent Jonathan Etwaroo, age 30, of Hartford, was sentenced by the Honorable Kevin C. Doyle on November 24, 2025 to serve 40 years in prison for the 2018 murder of Randolph Paidama, age 27, of Hartford.
A Superior Court jury in Hartford on April 30, 2025 found Etwaroo guilty of Murder, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-54a. According to evidence introduced at the trial, on August 20, 2018, Hartford police officers responded to a ShotSpotter notification of seven rounds of gunfire in the area of 592 Garden Street. Upon arrival, police found the victim suffering from gunshot wounds. Despite life-saving efforts made at the scene, the victim succumbed to his injuries.
Evidence showed that the victim was in a vehicle with the defendant when the two began to argue. When the vehicle arrived at the Garden Street location, both men exited the vehicle. The defendant then fired multiple gunshots at the victim and fled the scene.
Following the trial, State's Attorney Walcott thanked the statewide trial team and Hartford Police Department for their work on this case and expressed condolences to the victim’s family. “While no sentence will ever undo the heartache and family division caused by this crime, our hope is that this outcome brings some solace to a family that has been waiting over seven years for this day,” State’s Attorney Walcott said.
This case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Elena Palermo and Assistant State’s Attorney Kelly Davis, with the assistance of Inspector Joseph Buyak and Paralegal Specialist Kelly Randall.