She also leaves her grandfather, Buddy Day of Canton and Tina and Sal Difabio of New Hartford. William Winters Leverett, left, appeared in court on Monday during his arraignment for the 2014 killing of Melissa Millan in Simsbury, Conn. Authorities continue to investigate what theyre classifying as a domestic violence shooting at a Weatogue home in Simsbury, Conn., on Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021. We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. Trazinski's wife and co-pastor, Colette Trazinksi, called Leverett "a faithful member of the church. A Confession Came Four Years Later. He can be reached atdstewart@fox61.com. Wawrzyniak is survived by his son Dominik, his parents, Jerry and Mary Wawrzyniak, his sister, Bernadette Wawrzyniak and two brothers, Nicholas and Erik Wawrzyniak. Leverett claimed that he only wanted a chance to speak with her, it continued, but that something happened and the next thing he knew he had stabbed her in the chest with a knife he was carrying.. Knowing all of this you want to reject the offer today? Prats asked. Nicholas Boulter. The judge told Downey that he has used his time in prison wisely, but at the same time she said she could not overlook that he took a life. So its not only us, but the whole community has been affected by this.. And more importantly, should tuition go toward supporting bars around the XL Center? When officers forced their way into the apartment, they found Day and Wawrzyniak dead, and their child uninjured. CT 06045 Phone: 800-237-3606 Email: service@ . pointed a gun at Day and pulled the trigger, reported that Dominik's father was still active in his life. The Connecticut domestic violence hotline can be reached 24/7 at 888-774-2900, or 844-831-9200 for Spanish speakers. Tara O'Neill was formerly a breaking news reporter with Hearst Connecticut Media Group. He went to walk along the path near Iron Horse Boulevard in hopes of finding someone to talk with. William. According to the affidavit, he allegedly claimed he just wanted to speak to Millan but then "'something happened' and the next thing he knew he had stabbed her in the chest with a knife he was carrying," the documents said. Contributions can be made to the Connecticut Humane Society, 701 Russell Road, Newington, CT 06111. Two people have died. Leverett previously pleaded not guilty in connection with Millan's death in 2018. Leverett rejected the deal during a court hearing. Her son with Wawrzyniak is staying with Day's parents. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery in Collinsville. "Perhaps it was a misinterpretation and they meant his grandfather," Wawrzyniak told Simsbury Patch. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Leverett also led police to a barn where he threw a bloody glove. Since his arrest and subsequent conviction for the killing of Cynthia Mitchell 26 years ago, Mark Downey has been a model prisoner and turned his life around, his lawyers told a Hartford judge on Tuesday. "It's such a shame," she said. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Leverett is being held on a $2 million bond. We want to hear from you! Although a story that appeared in The Hartford Courant reported that Dominik's father was still active in his life, Wawrzyniak's mother, Mary, said Michael was in fact the boy's father. William W. Leverett, 30, entered the . In December 1994, a Hartford Superior Court jury took a little more than two days to convict Downey, then 38, of murder in the death of Mitchell, who was 39, on March 29, 1992. I was drunk.. On September 19, 2018, Leverett walked into police headquarters and confessed to the crime in order to "rid himself of demons." We were just in shock and heartbroken, and we really couldnt believe it because we could never even imagine that he could do something like this., Mr. Trazinski added: After that, we said, Well, you know what you need to do. He said, Yeah, I know Ive got to turn myself in.. She also cautioned him that with his rejection Tuesday the deal is permanently withdrawn. He then allegedly went back and got the knife a few days later and threw it out in a trash compactor. Clad in a yellow jumpsuit, Leverett offered short answers to Prats questions about the deal, which Supervisory Assistant States Attorney Vicki Melchiorre said included 10 years of special parole after the 35-year prison term. She was found stabbed to death while jogging on Iron Horse Boulevard on November 20, 2014. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? The lawyers initially asked for a 20-year reduction of his sentence, but scaled that back to five years. William Leverett's attorneys entered a plea guilty bargain in Hartford Superior Court on. DeCaprio cited Downeys remorse and his exemplary record in jail as reason for the judge to consider a reduction in the 50-year sentence he received in 1994. Leverett was ordered held on $2 million bond at his initial appearance Monday in Enfield Superior Court on a murder charge in the November 2014 death of 54-year-old Melissa Millan, a senior vice . Leverett allegedly told police that when he spotted Millan, whom he did not know, he was attracted to her "physical features," the document said. In the 911 call, Day was telling the dispatcher her boyfriend was holding a gun at her, threatening to shoot her and himself, according to a press release. William Leverette, a convicted sex offender, walked into Simsbury CT police department and confessed to killing Melissa Millan in 2014. Court records showrf that Downeys blood-alcohol level was at least .15 percent, nearly twice than what is now considered legally drunk. Simsbury's last shooting fatality was in 2001, according to Boulter. 00:02 04:00. A Connecticut Woman Was Killed While Jogging. Leverett saw Millan on the running path and said he was immediately attracted to her physical features, according to the arrest warrant application. The evidence also showed that there was no possibility of ricochet and that the gun was fired about a foot away from Mitchell. Scot Allyn can be reached by e-mail at sallyn@registercitizen.com or by phone at 860-489-3121, Ext. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. I used to see them pushing him in a stroller that looked like a truck. Two people have died. Davis classified the incident as a domestic violence shooting. 3. ', Second winter storm could hit parts of CT Friday, National Weather Service says, 'Saturday Night Live' skit with Woody Harrelson takes place at Naval Submarine Base New London, Los Charros Cantina closes in Essex, will relocate to Branford, CT girls basketball top performers (Feb. 28), 5 CT companies hiring for 100 or more positions, CT DOT faces criticism following overnight tree-cutting: 'Who'd you notify before you went and cut it? Downey is a different man now, Simon told the judge. 'Something happened' and the next thing he knew he had stabbed her in the chest with a knife he was carrying. "Above all he cherished spending time with his beloved son Dominik, who was the joy of his life," Michael Wawrzyniak's obituary said. SIMSBURY A teen escaped a home where police say two people died in a domestic violence shooting on Sunday. But forensic evidence showed that the bullet entered Mitchells body on a downward trajectory, through the shoulder, tearing her heart and lungs. Leverett, 27, of Windsor Locks, who is a registered sex offender, was charged with one count of murder. The Trazinskis, who said they met Mr. Leverett about four months after Ms. Millan was killed, said that church members were bewildered by his confession. ', The Best Window Replacement Companies in CT, Guide to Legal Cannabis Dispensaries in CT, The Best Kitchen Remodeling Companies in CT, The Best Bathroom Remodeling Companies in CT. Where are Connecticut's most and least walkable areas? Sign up for the FOX61 newsletters:Morning Forecast, Morning Headlines, Evening Headlines. We never would have expected this.". The couple prayed with Mr. Leverett. Investigating officers eventually found 59-year-old Bernard Halligan Jr. dead in the garage of the home, Davis said. At one point, officers advised residents in the neighborhood to remain inside their homes. "It's very sad. Leverett previously told police that on the night of Millan's death, he returned home from a sex offenders therapy group and felt lonely. Leverett said he approached Milan around 8 p.m. in a darkened part of the trail, under a broken street light, and stabbed her in the chest, according to arrest records. Nicholas Rondinone can be reached at nrondinone@courant.com. The manner of death for her husband, 59-year-old Bernard Halligan Jr., was ruled a suicide. James Gill, the state's chief medical examiner, on Tuesday said 57-year-old Linda Halligan's death was ruled a homicide. (Simsbury Police Department) SIMSBURY, CT William Leverett, a suspect in the 2014 homicide of 54-year-old Simsbury mother Melissa Millan, pleaded guilty Tuesday to a single count of. All rights reserved, High of 50 Thursday; Wintry Mix to Move in Friday Night, Plan for Canton Cannabis Dispensary Gets Approval, Avelo Says Airline Will Work to Improve Communication After NBC CT Responds Report, Hunter Accused of Killing 2 Pet Dogs in Ridgefield Appears in Court, Wintry Mix to Move in Friday Night, Snow and Sleet Accumulation Possible, Better Health: Dr. Katherine Rotker Discusses Vasectomy Procedure, NBC & Telemundo Connecticut Job Opportunities. SIMSBURY -- A young Simsbury couple died Wednesday evening, the apparent victims of a murder-suicide. FOLLOW US ONTWITTER,FACEBOOK&INSTAGRAM, Example video title will go here for this video. Mark Downey, convicted of a Simsbury murder in 1992, had four years shaved off his 50-year sentence Tuesday. Judge Shaves Four Years Off Simsbury Mans, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Welcome to the new courant.com: Whats changed, FAQs and more, Judge Shaves Four Years Off Simsbury Mans 50-Year Sentence For Murder, CT continues to prosecute some marijuana cases despite legalization, Madina Academy raises funds for Turkey, Syria earthquake relief, CT still borrowing to pay off debt, but some are pushing back, $122 million spending plan proposed for Simsbury, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Their relationship was not working out, and Beth was trying to move back home with us.". The manner of death for her husband, 59-year-old Bernard Halligan Jr., was ruled a suicide. Leverett told police that the day of the murder he was at a sex offender's therapy group in Hartford, according to the arrest warrant affidavit. DNA from the glove was analyzed and Leverett was arrested. Day was a 2006 graduate of Canton High School. Ms. Trazinski told Mr. Leverett that she remembered hearing reports of the crime. Neighbors at The Meadows apartment complex where the couple lived for approximately 18 months remember a quiet couple whom they often saw spending time with their son. Leverett was on probation after a conviction of child sex assault in Colorado in 2011. Its not clear how that will impact his release date, which is now estimated to be February 2030. Police officers were dispatched to the scene, and the dipatcher then heard several gunshots, the report said. Friends and neighbors are grieving after a murder-suicide involving a couple in Simsbury. He will be sentenced on May 3, his public defender said. James Gill, the states chief medical examiner, on Tuesday said 57-year-old Linda Halligans death was ruled a homicide. Milan was found with fatal stab wounds on a busy trail along Iron Horse Boulevard on Nov. 14, 2014. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said Monday that Linda. He is being held with bail set at $2 million. He is remembered as a caring and compassionate person who loved the outdoors and spending time with his friends and family, according to his obituary. Simsbury police are investigating a shooting on Woodleigh Place in Weatogue. The man accused of fatally stabbing an insurance company executive while she was running on a trail in Simsbury pleaded guilty to murder on Tuesday. In an interview with investigators, Leverett said he went to the trail that night looking for human contact after attending a meeting for sex offenders in Hartford. He has health problems, including a condition that thickens his blood and makes him more susceptible to strokes, and heart disease. Have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? Prats told Leverett that with his rejection, the case will go to a jury trial, which exposes him to a sentence ranging from 25 years to life if he is found guilty. According to the affidavit, Mr. Leverett told the police that when he came home from the therapy group, nobody was there, not even the dog, and he was lonely.. Millan was a 54-year-old mother of two, and an insurance executive. Christopher Keating is a reporter for the Hartford Courant. It was especially hard for them to hear that someone they knew could do this, Ms. Trazinski said. Officers were called to the scene late Sunday afternoon. Officers were called to the scene late Sunday afternoon. These types of incidents can happen anywhere.. One, he said, had gotten stuck there. Deputy Police Chief Chris Davis said his department received a call around 5:20 p.m. for a reported shooting at a Woodleigh Place home in Weatogue. The Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence offers services and advocates 24/7 by visiting CTSafeConnect.org or calling or texting 888-774-2900. 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