A man faces the possibility of life in prison without release after being convicted in the murders of his 19-year-old girlfriend and a family friend at a home in Bridgeport in 2021.
Tarik Francis, 29, of Bridgeport was found guilty on Wednesday following a week-long trial in Bridgeport Superior Court in the fatal shootings of 19-year-old Candace Goodwin and 59-year-old Austin Burgher, according to the state Division of Criminal Justice.
Francis and Goodwin were reportedly dating and living together at the time of the killings. Burgher was a family friend of Francis, officials said.
According to an obituary, a service for Goodwin was held in Baltimore, Maryland, where she grew up. A post dedicated to her memory on gunmemorial.org indicated she attended several schools in Maine before moving to Connecticut.
“I extend my deepest sympathy to the families of Ms. Goodwin and Mr. Burgher,” Joseph T. Corradino, state’s attorney for the Judicial District of Bridgeport, said in a statement. “I hope today’s verdict will be of some consolation for their great loss.”
Francis was found guilty of two counts of murder and a single count each of criminal possession of a firearm and murder with special circumstances — the latter of which stemmed from both killings happening during the same incident. Authorities noted that Francis is a previously convicted felon barred from having a gun.
Francis was found not guilty of an attempted murder charge tied to a police officer who responded to the scene.
“The jury addressed the evidence with care and worked diligently to reach an appropriate verdict consistent with the evidence and the law,” said Corradino.
Officers on Sept. 9, 2021, responded to a home on Platt Street just before 1:30 a.m. on the report of a shooting, according to the Bridgeport Police Department. As officers approached the home, Francis allegedly fired a gun toward them, police said.
A standoff then ensued for about two hours before Francis ultimately surrendered, police said. Once officers were able to get into the home, they found Goodwin and Burgher dead, according to police.
Corradino praised the quick reaction of police, who he said “rapidly surrounded” the residence before Francis was taken into custody without any further incident.
“We rely on the experience and professionalism of our law enforcement officers to bring these cases to a close for the victims and the safety of the community,” Corradino said.
Corradino also praised the work of the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory.
“Their work is second to none,” he said.
Francis remains held on $5 million bond. When he is sentenced on Dec. 16, he will face the possibility of life in prison without release, officials said.