Two arrests made in 2019 Hamden cold case homicide

NEW HAVEN — After a years-long investigation, authorities have made significant progress in a 2019 cold case homicide with the arrest of two New Haven men, Darrelle McFadden and Patrick Ratliff-Jones.

The breakthrough came as a result of relentless detective work and advancements in forensic science.

The Hamden Police Department received a 911 call on the night of Dec. 8, 2019, with a report of gunfire and a person lying in the roadway on Whiting Street.

Officers responding to the scene found 21-year-old Dennis Allen-Paige with fatal gunshot wounds.

Detective Sean Nutcher of the Hamden Police Department’s Criminal Intelligence Unit, also assigned to the New Haven Shooting Task Force, spearheaded the investigation.

His work, combined with the support of local and state law enforcement agencies, culminated in the recent arrests.

McFadden was apprehended on April 3, with an arrest warrant issued by the Office of the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of New Haven, led by State’s Attorney John P.

Doyle Jr. McFadden faces charges of felony murder and first-degree robbery and is being held on a $1.5 million bond.

He is scheduled to appear in New Haven Superior Court on April 17.

A second arrest warrant was issued on April 8 for Ratliff-Jones, on similar charges.

His bond was set at $2.5 million, and his court appearance is scheduled for April 9.

Both men are accused under the Connecticut General Statutes which include C.G.S. §53a-54c for Felony Murder and C.G.S. §53a-134 for Robbery in the First Degree.

The arrests mark a significant milestone in the quest for justice for Dennis Allen-Paige and a testament to the persistence of law enforcement in solving cold cases.