Alessia Mesquita's murder: 4 details explored

Alessia Mesquita died from four gunshots at the hands of her boyfriend, Rashod Newton, on March 22, 2021. Mesquita had been undergoing divorce proceedings from her ex-husband Joseph Martinez Jr when she started seeing Newton. A mother to two children, Joseph Rey Martinez and Alaia Grace Newton, Alessia was also a victim of domestic abuse.

According to police reports via New Haven Independent, Alessia and Rashod had been arguing inside the car when she was shot to death. Newton fled the scene with his daughter and was later found at Eastern Street and subsequently arrested.

The American Monster episode titled Angels and Demons showcased the shooting of Alessia Mesquita as the synopsis reads:

"When Alessia Mesquita reconnects with her childhood crush, Rashod Newton, the couple fall desperately in love; when the romance becomes overshadowed by Rashod's behavior, Alessia has to make a decision that will have deadly consequences."

The episode aired on January 28, 2024, at 9 p.m. EST on Investigation Discovery.

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4 details of Alessia Mesquita's murder explored

1) Alessia Mesquita was shot to death in broad daylight

Alessia Mesquita was shot to death in the Fair Haven Heights neighborhood in the area of Clifton and Lenox streets. She was shot in broad daylight, around 9:19 a.m., following a heated argument with her boyfriend, Rashod Newton, inside the car.

The two had been arguing when Mesquita stepped out of the car, according to surveillance videos acquired by the New Haven Police Department. However, Newton started driving away with their one-year-old in the backseat when Alessia started chasing the vehicle. This prompted Newton to step out and shoot her dead.

2) Mesquita was a victim of domestic violence

Alessia's family and friends reported that she had been a victim of domestic violence throughout her relationship with Rashod Newton. One of Alessia's best friends told the New Haven Superior Court during Newton's trial,

"He killed her long before he pulled the trigger."

The family brought out details of the abuse as they witnessed Mesquita pull away from her loved ones slowly. She had been strained physically, emotionally, and financially, per a Fox 61 News report.

3) Mesquita's boyfriend, Rashod Newton, had several charges earlier

Rashod Newton had been apprehended soon after the crime in Eastern Street, New Haven. As investigations progressed, he was found to have an elaborate rap sheet from earlier. Newton had been sentenced to five years for narcotics charges in 2012. The same year, he had pled guilty to a felony charge of carrying a pistol without a permit.

In 2016, Newton had been sentenced to another year in prison owing to narcotics charges and he was also sentenced to six years for a third-degree assault charge the same year. He had shot and injured a housemate who had intervened in a fight between Newton and Alessia.

4) Rashod Newton has been sentenced to 35 years in prison

Rashod Newton was arrested for charges of the murder of Alessia Mesquita, risk of injury to a minor, and criminal possession of a firearm. He was held on a bond amount of $3 million bond, per AP News. Newton pleaded guilty to his charges in December 2022 and was sentenced to 35 years in prison on January 26, 2023.

Rashod Newton is presently incarcerated at the MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution. There has been no news regarding his parole yet.