New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Family of slaying victim mourns loss
NEW HAVEN — Zaire Luciano, with energy, joy and humor, was the one who brought his family together, made them laugh and enlivened their lives, according to his loved ones.
Luciano, 30, was killed last Sunday on Chamberlain Street.
Abby Cruz, his sister, expressed her anger and sadness this week, as she reckoned with the loss of her brother — a “humble guy” who “always had a smile on his face.”
“It’s not fair. It’s hard right now,” said Cruz. “My family’s never going to be the same.”
Cruz said Luciano lived with tremendous love for his family; he was outgoing, willing to speak his mind, and inclined to raise the spirits of those in need — women doubting themselves would routinely hear “you’re beautiful” from him.
“He was always the light of the party; he made everybody in that room laugh,” said Cruz. “He never wanted to see people sad.”
Luciano and his wife had a son with cerebral palsy, Cruz said. As a result of lawsuit after his birth, they had enough money to move to North Branford.
Luciano was not tied to the street life, Cruz said.
In the future, he wanted to open a fencing company and succeed for his family, she said. He had professed his faith in God for the first time in recent weeks, she said.
“I’m just very angry. My brother was a good guy; he was never in the streets,” said Cruz. “He made us happy. He made us happy.”
Brunilda Lopez, Luciano’s aunt, said he was “always concerned about what was going with the family,” and was the one who pulled them together. He was the jokester of the group, the one that
comforted others, she said.
“I can’t fathom that he’s gone. He’s a piece of our family bond that’s gone,” she said. “He was the rock.”
Uncommonly free in the way he expressed himself, Luciano had a quick wit, she said. He wanted to do stand-up comedy.
Zaina Lopez, Luciano’s mother, said her son “woke up every day with a smile.”
The family received an outpouring of love after his passing, she said. She knew he had an impact on others, but the response still was surprising.
“Everybody’s taking it very hard. He was the sweetest guy,” said Zaina Lopez. “This mom, right here, is going to make a lot of noise — a lot of noise — because my son’s life was not in vain.”
Cruz and Brunilda Lopez asked people to meet love with love in Luciano’s memory.
“Enjoy the love that people give you and give it back,” said Lopez. “This world would be so beautiful (if that happened). This world would be awesome.”
“They took somebody so good away from this Earth,” said Cruz. “They took somebody away from a lot of people.”
Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding Luciano’s death.
Officer Scott Shumway previously asked that any witnesses who have not yet spoken with the department contact the New Haven Police Department Investigative Services Division at 203-946-6304.
Family members gathered with the Rev. Boise Kimber Friday. Through Kimber, they noted that others in the city have lost loved ones recently, expressing solidarity with those families.
Kimber and activist Rodney Williams urged the community to stand together against gun violence. In other communities, Williams said, the loss of life would prompt more resources and attention. He called for the deaths of New Haven residents to garner the same sort of focus from police.
He said callers may remain anonymous or submit tips anonymously by calling 1-866-888-TIPS(8477), or texting “NHPD” plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES).
Luciano death was the 20th homicide victim of the year in New Haven.
Before his death, Alfreda Youmans, Jeffery Dotson, Jorge Osorio-Caballero , Marquis Winfrey, Joseph Mattei, Kevin Jiang, Angel Rodriguez, Dwaneia Turner, Alessia Mesquita, Jack Hopeton, Tashawn Brown, Mariyah Inthirath, Adrian Barwise, Miguel Ramos, Richard Whitaker Jr., Ciera Jones, Kevan Bonilla, Kevin Mills and Tyshaun Hargrove had been killed in the city to date in 2021.
Since Luciano’s death, Luis Fernando Gonzalez-Sandoz and Trequon Lawrence have been killed in the city.