Two individuals, Gregory Marlyn Galindez-Trias and Moises Alejandro Condollo-Urbaneja, both believed to be members of the Tren de Aragua prison gang in Venezuela, have been arrested in New York in connection with the murder and robbery of a 59-year-old man at a hotel in Connecticut. The victim, Angel Samaniego, was shot and killed at a Super 8 Hotel in Stamford.
Galindez-Trias, a 24-year-old woman, and Condollo-Urbaneja, a 22-year-old man, were apprehended by authorities at a New York train station with two young children. They face charges of possession of stolen property, grand larceny, and fleeing justice, although murder charges have not yet been filed.
The Rensselaer Police Department in New York picked up the suspects after they allegedly used the victim’s credit card at an Amtrak station in town. Both individuals are confirmed to be in the country illegally from Venezuela and are believed to have ties to the Tren de Aragua criminal organization.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been notified of their arrests, and detainer requests have been filed for both individuals. They are currently being held on $2 million bond each. Galindez-Trias entered the U.S. near Fort Brown, Texas in 2022, before the birth of the younger child, while Condollo-Urbaneja’s entry into the country is unknown, but he is said to be “100% Tren de Aragua.”
The victim, Angel Samaniego, was a legal immigrant and green card holder from Ecuador. The children found with the suspects have been placed in the custody of Rensselaer County Child Protective Services. One of the children is a U.S. citizen, while the other is from Venezuela.
Authorities have recovered Samaniego’s stolen belongings from the suspects and also found his car, which was taken from the crime scene. Anyone with information regarding the case is urged to contact Stamford police.
This incident sheds light on the presence of transnational criminal organizations like Tren de Aragua operating in the United States and the challenges law enforcement faces in combating such criminal activities. It also underscores the importance of cooperation between local police departments and federal agencies like ICE in addressing cases involving illegal immigrants and gang affiliations.