Executive Summary
- Rakeem Grant, 37, was arrested Monday for the 2017 murder of Stephen Payne in Hartford, CT.
- The operation was conducted by the Hartford Police Violent Crime Unit and U.S. Marshals.
- The victim was found fatally shot in March 2017 following a ShotSpotter activation.
- Grant is currently being held on a $2 million bond after a warrant was secured in December 2025.
A joint operation involving the Hartford Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service resulted in the arrest of a Connecticut man on Monday in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred in 2017. Rakeem Grant, 37, of Vernon, was taken into custody and charged with the murder of 26-year-old Stephen Payne, marking a significant break in the nearly nine-year investigation.
According to Lt. Aaron Boisvert of the Hartford Police Department, Grant was apprehended by members of the Hartford Police Violent Crime Unit working alongside the United States Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force. Following the arrest, authorities confirmed that Grant remains in custody in lieu of a $2 million bond.
The charges stem from an incident on March 8, 2017. Police reports state that officers were dispatched to the area of 2441 Main Street at approximately 9:16 p.m. following a ShotSpotter activation and emergency calls reporting gunfire. Responding officers were directed to an apartment building at 45 Alan Green Way, where they located Payne suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the torso. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Detectives from the Hartford Police Department’s Major Crimes and Crime Scene Divisions conducted a lengthy investigation into the homicide. Lt. Boisvert stated that an arrest warrant charging Grant with one count of murder was requested and subsequently granted in December 2025. Background information provided by police indicated that at the time of the shooting, Payne had an active arrest warrant for a probation violation. Department of Correction records note he had a 2014 conviction for firearm theft.
Investigative Outlook and Legal Proceedings
This arrest underscores the operational capacity of inter-agency task forces to resolve cold cases despite the passage of time. The successful execution of the warrant by the U.S. Marshals and local police demonstrates a sustained commitment to addressing violent crime in the Hartford jurisdiction. As the case proceeds to the judicial system, the focus will shift to the evidentiary hearing and trial phases. It is important to note that all individuals, including Rakeem Grant, are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
