FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Hartford, CT) – Sharmese L. Walcott, Hartford Judicial District State’s Attorney, announced today that the Honorable Nuala Droney on June 26, 2024 sentenced Gregory Crichlow, age 25, of Springfield, Mass., to life in prison for the 2020 murders of Gregory Scott, Jr., age 24, and Jennifer Hicks, age 20, in Manchester.
A Hartford Superior Court jury on March 20, 2024 found Crichlow guilty of two counts of Murder in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-54a and one count of Murder with Special Circumstances in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-54b(7).
According to evidence introduced at trial, in the early morning hours of August 2, 2020, the Manchester Police Department received two 911 calls reporting a shooting in the Buckland Hills commuter lot. Upon investigation, police determined that there had been a gathering of vehicles in the parking lot to attend illegal car “races” which took place in the area. Witnesses described a truck that had parked next to the vehicle that Scott was driving. Crichlow got out of the truck, approached the vehicle Scott was in, and shot into the vehicle, fatally striking Scott and Hicks, who was seated in the back. Testimony showed that a witness had seen the truck earlier that day at a gas station. Investigators obtained video footage from that gas station and linked it to Crichlow.
This case was prosecuted by Hartford State’s Attorney’s Office Assistant State’s Attorney Samantha Magnani in collaboration with Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney John F. Fahey, supervisor of the Cold Case Unit of the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney, current Certified Legal Intern and 2024 DCJ Fellow Olivia Jones, with the assistance of Supervisory Inspector Emory Hightower, Supervisory Inspector Michael Sheldon, Inspectors Douglas Jowett, Elisa Tuozzoli, and Edwin Rodriguez, Paralegal Specialists Kelly De La Cruz, Suzanne Colley, and Antoine Campbell.
“First and foremost, the Hartford State’s Attorney’s Office would like to express our sincere condolences to the families of Gregory Scott, Jr. and Jennifer Hicks,” State's Attorney Walcott said. State’s Attorney Walcott noted statements made by family members of the victims during the sentencing hearing, including a statement by Gregory Scott, Sr., father of Gregory Scott, Jr, who said, “To me, this is what they call a Pyrrhic victory which is one that comes with a high cost. One which ends up not being worth winning. My loss is so far much greater.” He said though “the damage the defendant inflicted upon my family is insurmountable and irreversible,” he believes, “justice has prevailed.”
State's Attorney Walcott said Mr. Scott thanked the police and prosecutors for “fighting the good fight" to make sure both families "received the proper presentation so that their lives were not taken in vain and justice and accountability was delivered.” He said, "I will always be in grief for my son, but knowing that we have some kind of closure makes it a little easier to cope." State's Attorney Walcott also noted statements made on behalf of Jennifer Hicks, including words from her mother, Ericka Ortega, who said her daughter "was a great person full of life and love. She was smart, bright, ambitious and courageous and always took risks…. The defendant took away an innocent life and we prayed for justice so that we can finally heal.”
State's Attorney Walcott would like to thank the Connecticut State Police Central District Major Crime Squad, with special highlight to Detective Michael Grabowski, the Hampden County Sheriff's Office, particularly Deputy Sheriff Dan Iozzi, and the Springfield Police Department, with special highlight to retired Detective James Crogan, for their work on the case.