Wilmington – Wilmington Police Detective Brian Conkey and members of the Homicide and Violent Crime Unit arrested and charged Chaz Collazo, 27, of Chester, Pennsylvania with fatally stabbing Melvin J. Smith on Market Street last week.
On Wednesday, December 07, 2016, just after 9 p.m. Wilmington police officers were flagged down in reference to an unconscious male at W. 9th N. Market Street. Arriving officers located Melvin J. Smith, 35, of Wilmington, who was down and bleeding heavily from his neck area. The victim was treated on scene by New Castle County Paramedics and transported to the Christiana Hospital where he was pronounced deceased shortly after arrival. The man was subsequently transported to the State of Delaware Division of Forensic Science where authorities determined that the victim died as a the result of a stab wound to the neck, a homicide.
As the investigation progressed Wilmington Police released video surveillance stills that showed a possible vehicle of interest. The vehicle was described as a late model Ford Expedition, light in color with possible Delaware registration-unknown. The vehicle was last observed westbound on W.4th Street, from King Street, according to police.
Police believe that Smith was allegedly involved in altercation inside the Expedition. The incident began at an unknown location and culminated at 9th and Market Street with the stabbing death of Smith, according to Detective Brian Conkey.
Police said that they identified Collazo through investigative measure. On December 11, 2016 warrants were approved by the State of Delaware Attorney General’s Office for Chaz Collazo on the charges of Murder in the 1st Degree, and Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony. Collazo is being held at the Howard Young Correctional Facility in lieu of $1,520,000 cash bail.
Image Credits: Wilmington Police
