Inset: Alvin Waugh (Vernon Police Dept.). Background: The Motel 6 where Waugh allegedly killed the owner over a pool pass dispute (WTIC).
A Connecticut man, aged 35, is set to stand trial this month for allegedly murdering a motel manager during a dispute over a $10 pool pass.
Alvin Waugh faces multiple charges, including murder, risk of injury to a child, and carrying a handgun without a permit, in connection with the fatal shooting of Zeshan Chaudhry nearly five years ago.
According to records from the Tolland County District Court, Waugh’s jury trial is scheduled to commence on January 21. He has been detained since his arrest and is currently held on a $2 million bond.
Prior to the incident, Waugh and his girlfriend had been staying at the Motel 6 located on Hartford Turnpike in Vernon, Connecticut, for about a month. The tragic event unfolded near the motel’s outdoor pool shortly before 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 27, 2021, as reported by local Fox affiliate WTIC.
On that sweltering 90-degree day, Chaudhry, who also owned the Motel 6, confronted Waugh, his girlfriend, and another individual by the pool, asking them to pay $10 for a pass. Waugh’s girlfriend reportedly offered Chaudhry $5 instead, refusing to pay the full price.
“Mr. Chaudhry did not accept the money,” Sgt. Robert Marra told The Hartford Courant. “This led to a verbal argument between the parties.”
The girlfriend then walked into the hallway of the motel and Chaudhry followed her and continued the argument, the Courant reported. The two argued until the girlfriend went back outside to join Waugh and the other individual.
During the altercation, Chaudhry questioned whether Waugh and his girlfriend had previously paid only $5 for the pool pass and demanded he identify which employee gave them the deal “so he could fire them,” the Courant reported, citing a probable cause affidavit.
The altercation reportedly ended with Chaudhry kicking the couple out of the motel and telling the front desk to lock them out of their room. That decision “set Waugh off,” police wrote in the affidavit. He allegedly responded by quickly returning to the room and getting a homemade handgun. Police said he had previously made comments about using the weapon to go to “war.”
Waugh went back to the pool area and continued arguing with Chaudhry for about a minute before reportedly pulling the gun from his pocket and firing several shots into the victim. He then apparently fled the scene on foot. The entire ordeal was allegedly captured by one of the motel’s security cameras.
“It sounds like the victim began to antagonize him,” Marra reportedly said. “I don’t know if he knew that he had a gun.”
Police and medical personnel responded to the scene and attempted lifesaving measures before transporting Chaudhry to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Waugh was taken into custody a short while after the shooting.
