Somers Murder Suspect Faces New Charges

SOMERS, CT — The man charged with murder in an Aug. 18 shooting in Somers now faces a separate criminal case charging him with two counts of illegal possession of a large-capacity magazine, according to court records obtained by Patch.

Joshua Freitag, 33, was charged with two counts of illegal possession of a large-capacity magazine under Connecticut General Statutes 53-202w(c)(2). Both charges are Class A misdemeanors.

The charges were filed separately from Freitag's homicide case. They allege the offenses occurred in Somers on or about Aug. 25, one week after the shooting.

The court filing does not say where the magazines were found or explain how the new charges arose. It also does not directly connect them to the Aug. 18 shooting.

During Freitag's Sept. 18 appearance in state Superior Court in Rockville, a public defender was appointed and a $1,000 cash-or-surety bond was set in the magazine case. The case was continued to Oct. 23.

That bond is separate from the $1.5 million bond in Freitag's homicide case. He remains in custody.

What police say happened

Connecticut State Police were called to a South Road home around 4 a.m. Aug. 18 after a report of gunfire. Troopers found Mark Anthony Morgan, 34, of Enfield, unresponsive in an upstairs bedroom. He was pronounced dead at the scene around 4:20 a.m.

According to Freitag's arrest warrant, Morgan had been sleeping when Freitag allegedly entered through a broken rear sliding door and went upstairs with a handgun.

A woman inside the home told investigators that Freitag had called and texted her before the shooting to ask why Morgan was there. She denied that Morgan was in the house because the two men had a history of not getting along and had fought before, the warrant said.

The woman said she later awoke to breaking glass and saw Freitag inside. She followed him upstairs and shouted a warning to Morgan, according to the warrant.

She told police Freitag entered the bedroom and fired repeatedly. She also said he struck Morgan after the shooting.

Two children were asleep inside the home at the time. Neither they nor the woman was injured.

Troopers found Freitag near the front door with his hands raised. Police said he followed their commands and was taken into custody without incident.

Freitag was arrested later that day. At his first court appearance Aug. 19, a judge rejected a request to lower his bond from $1.5 million to $250,000 and issued three protective orders.

Morgan's loved ones described him as a devoted father of two who worked in commercial flooring. A GoFundMe campaign was created to help with funeral costs and support his children.

The charges are allegations, and Freitag has not been convicted.

For more Northern Connecticut news, follow Patch editor Jay Kenney.