"I never met them, so I didn't know their names. Melissa Millan, 54, was stabbed to death while jogging in November 2014. The lawyers initially asked for a 20-year reduction of his sentence, but scaled that back to five years. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Then, last week, a man walked into his pastors home and confessed to the crime. RELATED: Suspect in 2014 Simsbury murder pleads not guilty. WILLIAM WINTERS LEVERETT was arrested in September 2018 and charged with murder in the November 2014 homicide of Melissa Millan in Simsbury. Mr. Leverett went to the Simsbury Police Department that night and was interviewed by the police for more than four hours. That poor boy's going to have a terrible time. Simon and DeCaprio argued that their client was too drunk at the time to realize the effect of his statements to police. At the start of the trial, the defense asked the court to ignore Downeys statements to police that the shooting was accidental because they obviously conflicted with the forensic evidence. We want to hear from you! I used to see them pushing him in a stroller that looked like a truck. A Confession Came Four Years Later. The telephone messages around 7:30 p.m. Sunday said that those in the area should please remain inside your residences and await further information.. Investigating officers eventually found 59-year-old Bernard Halligan Jr. dead in the garage of the home, Davis said. No next court date was scheduled Tuesday. He appeared before Superior Court Judge Shelia M. Prats via a video link from the MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution in Suffield. Prats said it is unclear when his case will go before a jury because trials have been placed on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic. Knowing all of this you want to reject the offer today? Prats asked. CT considers exonerating people convicted of witchcraft in 1600s, Connecticut could soon have a state food, pet and candy, CT-based company discloses potential foreign bribery violations. Day and Wawrzyniak knew each other from attending Canton High School together, according to Day's mother, who lives in Canton. I was in shock. 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. Two people have died. Leveretts arrest in 2018 brought closure to a case that had puzzled investigators for years. William Leverette, a convicted sex offender, walked into Simsbury CT police department and confessed to killing Melissa Millan in 2014. He went to walk along the path near Iron Horse Boulevard in hopes of finding someone to talk with. Bernard Halligan, Jr.'s death was ruled a s. Two people have died. He came home, felt lonely, went for a drive, spotted Millan jogging and said he got mentally aroused by her physical features before realizing she was, way out of my league., He got angry purposely ran into Millan took out a knife and plunged it into her chest as Millan fell back saying Oh my God.. Downey testified that he could not remember what happened the night of the shooting, Alexander said. HARTFORD A former Windsor Locks, Connecticut, man pleaded guilty this week to murdering a MassMutual executive who was jogging on a Simsbury trail in 2014. The case broke on Sept. 19, 2018, when Leverett, a registered sex offender working as an assistant manager at Fresh Market in Avon, went to the Simsbury Police Department to confess to the killing, arrest records show. Man accused of killing Simsbury jogger Melissa, 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, Man accused of killing Simsbury jogger Melissa Millan rejects deal that wouldve sent him to prison for 35 years, 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. HARTFORD, CT A convicted felon from Windsor currently out of prison on probation has been charged with the murder of two men on Albany Avenue in . It was clear this was not an accidental shooting, Alexander said. 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Leverett will be sentenced on May 3. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Nearly four years ago, Melissa Millan, a mother of two, was brutally murdered in Connecticut while she was out on a jog. Mr. Leverett went to the Suffield, Conn., apartment of Mike and Colette Trazinski, founders and co-pastors of a small church, on Sept. 19. Simsbury police confirmed Monday that a local man fatally shot his wife and then killed himself in their home Sunday evening. Milan was found with fatal stab wounds on a busy trail along Iron Horse Boulevard on Nov. 14, 2014. Both lives were taken when Wawrzyniak pointed a gun at Day and pulled the trigger before turning the gun on himself at the couple's apartment at The Meadows complex in the Weatogue neighborhood of Simsbury. Its a very safe community, Davis said on Sunday. "I just turned up the television.". Find out more about how we use your information in our privacy policy and cookie policy. At the police station, he opened up to investigators about how the victim was "way out of my league," said his "anger escalated," and "the next thing he knew he had stabbed her in the chest," according to document. 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 crime went unsolved until last week, when a registered sex offender, William Leverett, walked into a church, Open Gate Ministries in Windsor Locks, and confessed. He has health problems, including a condition that thickens his blood and makes him more susceptible to strokes, and heart disease. Double-murder suicide in CT: PD/ Woman helps fuel restaurant biz/ Fire destroys garage/ $220K embezzlement case/ Bank access restricted. The night of the killing, he was at a sex offenders support group meeting in Hartford. a Hartford Superior Court jury took a little more than two days to convict Downey . I never heard him cry.". The man, William Winters Leverett, 27, of Windsor Locks, Conn., has been charged with murder. William Leverett was accompanied by three . This is a carousel. The arrest warrant detailed Leverett wrote confession letters the night of the murder. A former Windsor Locks man pleaded guilty this week to murdering a female jogger on a Simsbury Greenway path in 2014 and faces a likely sentence of 35 years in prison, a prosecutor says. pointed a gun at Day and pulled the trigger, reported that Dominik's father was still active in his life. The Windsor Locks man charged with killing Simsbury mother Melissa Millan as she jogged down a busy trail in town in 2014 rejected a plea deal Tuesday that would have sent him to prison for 35 years. Davis said responding officers found Linda Halligan and carried her to an ambulance and rushed to St. Francis Hospital, where she died. 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.. RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Police tailed Simsbury cold case murder suspect after confession. The two public defenders who represented Downey at his trial before Judge Stuart Schimelman were at his side again Tuesday, a bit grayer, but no less committed to standing up for their client. Where are Connecticut's most and least walkable areas? "They were unable to make contact with any occupants, but they heard the sound of a crying baby inside.". He always looked happy and I never heard them argue. Officers were called to the scene late Sunday afternoon. Photo by Scot Allyn/Register Citizen Staff, The back of the apartment that was the site of an apparent shooting in Simsbury. In a statement provided to The Hartford Courant, relatives of Ms. Millan called her a loving mother, a devoted daughter, a witty and compassionate sister, a loyal friend, an intelligent, successful businesswoman and mentor to many.. And more importantly, should tuition go toward supporting bars around the XL Center? SIMSBURY The deaths of a husband and wife on Sunday have been ruled a murder-suicide, officials said. Police are still investigating the incidents that led up to the fatal double shooting that night. It was the nature of the injury and the nature of the weapon involved.. We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery, Avon. Doug Stewart is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. But forensic evidence showed that the bullet entered Mitchells body on a downward trajectory, through the shoulder, tearing her heart and lungs. 'Something happened' and the next thing he knew he had stabbed her in the chest with a knife he was carrying. . 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. Millan was a 54-year-old mother of two, and an insurance executive. "I'm here to turn myself in for the murder on Iron Horse Boulevard almost 4 years ago," he allegedly told police, according to the arrest warrant affidavit. William W. Leverett, 30, entered the . But Assistant States Attorney Joan Alexander argued that Downey, an expert marksman and gun enthusiast, indicated immediately after the shooting that he wanted to cooperate with police and never said he was too drunk to answer questions. At the time of the killing, Downey told police he was sitting on the floor cleaning the rifle when he dropped the gun and it discharged, killing Mitchell. I guess they pretty much kept to themselves. Little was said publicly about the killing in the years after Milans death, but police and town officials had once offered a $40,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killer. Police have not yet provided an update in the investigation as of Tuesday. "We were stunned," the church's pastor, Michael Trazinski, said Monday. Tara O'Neill was formerly a breaking news reporter with Hearst Connecticut Media Group. According to a police affidavit, he told the authorities that he had spotted the woman while she was jogging and was attracted to her, but went into a frenzy as he approached her, and then stabbed her. Milan pushed Leverett away, forcing the knife out of her chest as Leverett clutched the weapon. One, he said, had gotten stuck there. A major police presence descended on the neighborhood. Police officers were dispatched to the scene, and the dipatcher then heard several gunshots, the report said. Milan and Leverett had never met before the violent encounter, according to police. 335. Simsbury police investigating a shooting in, 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, Simsbury police investigating a shooting in Weatogue, 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. The couple prayed with Mr. Leverett. Justice needed to be done.". Simsbury police are investigating a shooting on Woodleigh Place in Weatogue. Mr. Leverett told the police that on the night of the murder, he had written letters confessing to the crime, though he never sent them. At the time of the crime, Simon said, Downey had a very serious alcohol problem, and to my mind thats why this crime happened.. Leverett also led police to a barn where he threw a bloody glove. Downey is a different man now, Simon told the judge. Court records showrf that Downeys blood-alcohol level was at least .15 percent, nearly twice than what is now considered legally drunk. SIMSBURY, CT Two people are dead following a domestic violence shooting in Simsbury on Sunday night, according to police. Patty Snediker stands for a portrait outside of her sister's Simsbury home on Oct. 23, 2019. William. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery in Collinsville. It was especially hard for them to hear that someone they knew could do this, Ms. Trazinski said. The jury discounted Downeys claim that the shooting was accidental. 00:02 04:00. Linda Halligan, 57, and 59-year-old Bernard Halligan, Jr., were found. Then he asked them if they remembered the story of Ms. Millan, who was found on Iron Horse Boulevard in Simsbury with a single stab wound in her chest around 8 p.m. on Nov. 20, 2014, and later pronounced dead at a hospital. Yes, I do, your honor, Leverett responded. Deputy Police Chief Chris Davis said his department received a 911 call from an 18-year-old woman, who was identified as a family member from inside that residence, who witnessed the shooting and fled the home, running to a neighbor to call police. Leverett, 27, of Windsor Locks, who is a registered sex offender, was charged with one count of murder. At their urging, Leverett went to the police department to turn himself in. Very helpful. Karen Jacobson, who lives across the walkway from the apartment the couple shared with their son, said she heard raised voices after 8 p.m., but no shots. Simsbury couple died in murder-suicide, medical examiner rules, 2023 Hearst Media Services Connecticut, LLC, Warrant: Bridgeport man broke into occupied Norwalk homes, Records: Survivor of crash that killed CT cop sues strip club, NWS: Storm will bring mix of rain, snow and ice to CT, Branford's Darbar India says 'thank you' with grand reopening, 'Suspicious' object sparks bomb scare at CT College, police say, Former East Haven town clerk suing over deleted email allegations, Westport, New Canaan join Fairfield's regional dispatch center, Wilton braces for cuts to $33.6M plan amid revenue uncertainty, Darien selectmen raise limit on cash gifts to $12,500, New Milford schools launch anonymous tip line for safety concerns, Geno Auriemma gives bleak assessment as UConn womens basketball looks to find footing in March: 'Poorly coached team. James Gill, the state's chief medical examiner, on Tuesday said 57-year-old Linda Halligan's death was ruled a homicide. DNA from the glove was analyzed and Leverett was arrested. He referred to Ms. Millan as way out of my league, the affidavit said, and became angry and went into a frenzy., Mr. Millan was a senior vice president at Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. Millan was found dead along Iron Horse Boulevard on Nov. 20, 2014. Investigators returned to the site of the killing on a number of occasions to look for evidence, once calling in FBI experts to help with the search. 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. He said he wiped the blood off the boots he wore that night and continued to wear them for several months before donating them to a Goodwill, the document said. Leverett returns to court on Oct. 9, according to the Courant. A registered sex offender from Windsor Locks, CT - 27-year-old William Leverett is charged with murdering insurance executive Melissa Milan in Simsbury nearly 4 years ago. Scot Allyn can be reached by e-mail at sallyn@registercitizen.com or by phone at 860-489-3121, Ext. Stream Live on ROKU:Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61. Leverett was on probation after a conviction of child sex assault in Colorado in 2011. No additional information was available. Trending Watch 24/7 NBC CT Weather Blog 70 Years of NBC Connecticut NBC CT's The Connection CT Live . Police found those notes and that same day Leverett led investigators to a barn where he threw a bloody glove. Leverett led police to then home in Windsor Locks, where he showed them two confession notes. Snediker's sister, Karen Graham, died in her home in June. William Leverett's attorneys entered a plea guilty bargain in Hartford Superior Court on. SIMSBURY, Conn. (WTNH) - The Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the double shooting that left a husband and wife dead a murder-suicide. Friends and neighbors are grieving after a murder-suicide involving a couple in Simsbury. SIMSBURY A teen escaped a home where police say two people died in a domestic violence shooting on Sunday. Leverett allegedly said "he began thinking about a possible interaction with her," but became "anxious, realizing that 'I (Leverett) can't have her' and that 'she's way out of my league," the documents said. Downey, his hair thinned and cut close, still towers over his lawyers. M. Fred Decaprio and Ken Simon first thanked prosecutor Vicki Melchiorre for agreeing to consider their request for a sentence modification, then made their argument to Baldini. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 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