East Windsor
February 28, 2007
$50,000 REWARD
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Hartford
May 6, 2005
$50,000 REWARD |
Norwich
December 31, 2006 |
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Branford
March 7, 2006
$50,000 REWARD |
Stratford
July 28, 1990
$5,000 REWARD |
Anita Patel
Windsor
March 1996
$50,000 REWARD
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Waterbury
August 2004
$60,000 REWARD |
Stratford
September 7, 1990
$50,000 REWARD |
Hartford/Wethersfield
October 1995
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Wethersfield
August 3, 2004
Winter Park Florida
October 30, 2007 |
AVAILABLE
Bloomfield
Middletown
Rocky Hill
Windsor
Summer 1984
$50,000 REWARD |
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Contact the Cold Case Units:
Toll-Free Tip Line (Statewide)
1-866-623-8058
Hartford Area Tip Line
860-548-0606
Follow this link to
U.S. Mail:
Cold Case Unit
P.O. Box 962
Rocky Hill, CT 06067
Calls will be kept confidential.
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COLD CASE PLAYING CARDS
The Division of Criminal Justice in partnership with the Connecticut Department of Correction and law enforcement agencies statewide have created a Cold Case playing card deck highlighting 52 unsolved homicides, missing persons, and unidentified remains cases that have occurred throughout the state.
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On February 28, 2007, Javed Akhtar was found slain outside his place of business, the One Stop Convenience Store, located at 68 Depot Street in East Windsor.
Investigation revealed that Mr. Akhtar, age 32, was the victim of a shooting, apparently in the course of an attempted armed robbery.
On June 30, 2008, the Honorable M. Jodi Rell, Governor of Connecticut, authorized a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the homicide of Javed Akhtar.
The case is being investigated by the East Windsor Police Department in conjunction with the Connecticut State Police, Central District Major Crime Unit, and the Office of the State's Attorney for the Judicial District of Hartford and the Cold Case Unit in the Office of the Chief State's Attorney.
Anyone with information about the homicide of Javed Akhtar should:
If you think you know this individual or can provide any information about this incident:
On the morning of March 14, 1986, the mutilated body of a one-day-old baby boy was found near a wooded picnic area of Lake Mohegan Town Park in Fairfield.
The infant had been strangled and his death was ruled a homicide. The mutilation of the child's face was determined to have occurred after he was killed. The infant's injuries appear to have been ritualistic in nature and may possibly be related to a religious practice known as Palo.
In 2011, the Governor's Office authorized a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the murder of this infant.
The case is being investigated by the Fairfield Police Department. If you have information about this case, please contact Detective Kerry Dalling at the Fairfield Police Department by telephone at 203-254-4840 or by e-mail at KDALLING@town.fairfield.ct.us.
Or you can follow this link to e-mail the Cold Case Unit with information or a tip about the homicide of this infant, or call the tip line at 860-548-0606 or toll-free at 1-866-623-8058.
All calls and e-mails will be kept confidential.
On May 6, 2005, at approximately 11:20 p.m., Hartford Police responded to the area of110 George Street on reports of shots fired. Upon arrival, officers located the victim, Edward “Little Man” Bell, Jr. , and physical evidence.
Hartford Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel transported the victim to Hartford Hospital. Mr. Bell, age 34, was pronounced dead at the hospital as a result of gunshot wounds.
On March 27, 2008, Governor M. Jodi Rell authorized a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the crime.
The case is being investigated jointly by the Hartford Police Department and the Cold Case Unit of the Chief State's Attorney's Office.
Follow this link to e-mail the Cold Case Unit with information or a tip about the homicide of Edward Bell, Jr., or call the tip line at 860-548-0606 or toll-free at 1-866-623-8058. All calls and e-mails will be kept confidential.
Erika M. Cirioni was last seen alive on Division Street in Norwich on New Year's Eve, December 31, 2006. She was reported missing to police on January 3, 2007.
Her remains were found in the area of Oxoboxo Dam Road in Norwich on March 13, 2012. Her death is being treated as a homicide.
The investigation is being conducted by the Norwich Police Department in conjunction with the Southeastern Connecticut Cold Case Unit.
All calls and e-mails will be kept confidential.
On June 21, 2005, at approximately 11:08 p.m. the Hartford Police Department received a complaint of a woman shot at 131 Martin Street in Hartford. Responding officers were able to ascertain that the victim Dante Davis, age 21, was standing in front of that location when three unknown assailants began shooting in her direction.
The victim was struck in the head and was transported to the hospital prior to police arrival. Dante Davis subsequently died of those injuries.
Officers identified several witnesses to the shooting. Interviews with those witnesses determined that just prior to the shooting Dante Davis was standing in front of 131 Martin Street next to her boyfriend Christopher Hough. While talking together three unknown assailants, armed with guns began shooting at them from the area of Judson Street.
The case is being investigated jointly by the Hartford Police Department and the Cold Case Unit of the Chief State's Attorney's Office.
All calls and e-mails will be kept confidential.
On Tuesday, March 7, 2006, at approximately 8:45 a.m., Kathy Hardy was the victim of an arson murder that occurred at her home in Branford. While the victim was asleep, unknown person(s) set fire to the stairs leading up to the second-floor bedroom, blocking her escape route.
Kathy was pronounced dead at the scene. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that the cause of death was smoke inhalation.
Ms. Hardy, the mother of three young children, was 39 years old.
The State of Connecticut is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) involved with Kathy Hardy’s murder.
If you think you know this individual or can provide any information about this incident:
- Call the Branford Police Department at 203-315-3909
- Call the Cold Case Unit Tip Line at 860-548-0606 or Toll-Free at 1-866-623-8058
- Write to the Cold Case Unit, P.O. Box 962, Rocky Hill, CT, 06067.
All communications will be kept confidential.
On July 28, 1990, at approximately 2:00 a.m. Joseph Mackanesi, age 32, flagged down a police patrol car near the intersection of Soundview and Barnum Avenues in Stratford.
Mr. Mackanesi reported that he had been shot by two black males that had attempted to rob him. Mr. Mackanesi was transported to the hospital where he later expired. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that the cause of death was a gunshot wound.
Mr. Mackanesi was employed in the local area as a truck driver and food salesman prior to his death.
The Town of Stratford is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Mr. Mackanesi's homicide.
If you think you know this individual or can provide any information about this incident:
On September 29, 1982, Julieanne Miller was reported missing to the Old Saybrook Police Department by her father, who is now deceased.
Ms. Miller was last seen at her residence in the company of her boyfriend on September 22, 1982. She is presumed dead but her body has not been recovered.
The State of Connecticut is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in this case.
Follow this link to e-mail the Cold Case Unit with information or a tip about the case of Julieanne Miller.
All communications will be kept confidential. Or call the Cold Case Unit Tip Linetoll-free at 1-866-623-8058 or at 860-548-0606 in the Hartford area.
On Monday January 12, 1998, the East Hampton Police Department responded to a report of the body of a woman found in a stream just off of Tartia Road in East Hampton, an area known as Engel’s Falls.
The victim, Gertrude Ochankowski, was pronounced dead at the scene. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that the cause of death was manual strangulation.
Gertrude had been the subject of a missing person’s investigation earlier that day after her car was found running in the front parking lot of 82 Main Street in East Hampton. Witnesses saw her car running with her dog inside as early as 9:30 p.m. on January 11, 1998.
Governor M. Jodi Rell has authorized a $50,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) involved with Gertrude Ochankowski’s murder.
If you think you know this individual or can provide any information about this incident:
All communications will be kept confidential.
On March 21, 1996, the bodies of Champaben Patel and her daughter Anita were found in their family home in Windsor. Champaben Patel had been strangled and her body burned. Anita had been stabbed and her body burned.
In March 2006, Governor M. Jodi Rell authorized a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the slayings.
Investigators believe Champaben Patel was killed first, in the bedroom of her home. They further suspect that Anita Patel and her two children arrived at the house while the attack was occurring, and that Anita told the children, then ages 3 and 5, to leave the house.
The children ran from the house and were found by a woman walking to her mailbox, who called the police.
Anita Patel was stabbed in the kitchen of the house. Gasoline was poured around her body and set afire. Although she had been stabbed a total of 14 times, an autopsy determined that she died of smoke inhalation.
The case is being investigated by the Cold Case Unit of the Chief State's Attorney's Office. Connecticut investigators are consulting with the Vidocq Society, a group of forensic experts who contribute their time and expertise in unsolved cases.
Follow this link to e-mail the Cold Case Unit with information or a tip about the case of Champaben Patel and Anita Patel or call the tip line at 860-548-0606 or toll-free at 1-866-623-8058. All calls and e-mails will be kept confidential.
William “Billy” Smolinski, Jr., was last seen on August 24, 2004, when he asked a neighbor in Waterbury to watch his pet dog for a few days while he went to look at a car he was interested in buying. The 31-year-old left behind his truck, wallet and keys.
A reward totaling $60,000 is being offered for information leading to the whereabouts of Mr. Smolinski.
The case is being coordinated by the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney. Participating in the investigation are the Connecticut State Police Western District Major Crime Squad, the Seymour Police Department, Shelton Police Department and Waterbury Police Department.
More information on the case can be found at www.justice4billy.com or by following this link to visit the website of the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.
All calls and e-mails will be kept confidential.
Marie Techlowec Nielsen's body was found by her then teenaged son, Edward (Peter) Barrera, on June 18, 1987, after he gained entrance through a window to the apartment that they shared in New Britain. He had earlier given his key to the apartment to the victim, who had locked her keys in her car.
The victim's body was found face down on the bed in her bedroom. The cause of death was determined to be asphyxia by strangulation.
Follow this link to e-mail the Cold Case Unit with information or a tip about the case of Marie Techlowec Nielsen.
Or call the Cold Case Unit toll-free at 1-866-623-8058 or at 860-548-0606 in the Hartford area.
All communications will be kept confidential.
On Sunday, October 29, 1995, at approximately 4:49 a.m., Hartford Police received 911 calls about a woman being dragged by a motor vehicle from Locust Street west on Elliott Street toward Wethersfield Avenue in Hartford.
The caller described the car as similar to a 1995 or recent year Nissan Maxima or similar make. Another caller, using a fire emergency telephone at the corner of Elliott Street and Wethersfield Avenue, observed the female being dragged by the car south on Wethersfield Avenue toward the Town of Wethersfield. The female caller was never identified.
Just prior to the 911 calls, a Hartford Police Officer patrolling north on Wethersfield Avenue near Elliott Street in a marked cruiser observed a small dark color car enter Wethersfield Avenue from Elliot Street and travel south with no headlights on. The officer observed something unidentifiable being dragged from the passenger side of the vehicle. The officer pursued the car without success. The officer followed a discernable trail of liquid left on the pavement to the area of Jordan Lane near Ridge Road in Wethersfield.
The officer located the victim, with extensive injuries, lying against the northern curb of Jordan Lane. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by responding Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). An autopsy performed at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Farmington determined the cause of death as extensive blunt trauma and certified the manner of death as a homicide. The victim was identified as Leah Ulbrich, age 24, of Hartford and New Britain.
Since October 29, 1995, the Hartford Police Department and the Wethersfield Police Department have conducted an intensive investigation into the murder of Leah Ulbrich. Numerous extensive interviews have been conducted and forensic evidence analyzed.
In November 2001, a joint investigation was initiated between the Hartford Police Department, the Wethersfield Police Department and the Cold Case Unit of the Office of the Chief State's Attorney.
At the request of the State's Attorney for the Judicial District of Hartford, the Governor authorized a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the death of Leah Ulbrich. The Division of Criminal Justice maintains a Tip Line to take information on this case. The number is 860-548-0606.
Follow this link to e-mail the Cold Case Unit with information or a tip about the case of Leah Ulbrich or call the tip line at 860-548-0606 or toll-free at 1-866-623-8058.
All calls and e-mails will be kept confidential.
On September 7, 1990, at approximately 10:45 p.m. Nancy Valentin, age 31 was found lying on the pavement in the parking lot of Rose’s Family Restaurant at 595 South Main Street in Stratford. Ms. Valentin was employed as a waitress at Rose’s and had just left work for the evening.
Ms. Valentin was transported to the hospital where she later expired. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that the cause of death was a gunshot wound.
A $50,000 reward is being offered by the State of Connecticut for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) involved with Nancy Valentin’s murder.
If you think you know this individual or can provide any information about this incident:
On Friday, January 14, 1977, the body of Therea Wilson , age 26, was found in the garage of the then-Statler Hilton Hotel at 10 Ford Street in Hartford. The victim, also known as Thera Wilson , Theresa Wilson and Mona Williams, had been stabbed to death. At the time of her death, the victim had been engaged in prostitution.
In 1977 numerous leads were pursued by the Hartford Police Department , all with negative results. In April of 1977, Governor Ella Grasso authorized a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Ms. Williams death. The reward was increased to $50,000 in November 2006 by Governor M. Jodi Rell at the request of James E. Thomas, State's Attorney for the Judicial District of Hartford.
In March of 2006, at the request of the Hartford Police Department, the case was re-opened with the assistance of the Cold Case Unit of the Office of the Chief State's Attorney.
Anyone with information is requested to call the tip line at the Office of the Chief State's Attorney at 860-548-0606, toll-free at 1-866-623-8058 or e-mail the Cold Case Unit by following this link. All calls and e-mails will be kept confidential.
On September 24, 1998, 26-year-old Agnieszka (Agnes) Ziemlewski was found shot to death on a walking trail on the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) Reservoir property near Old Mountain Road in Farmington.
Even after hundreds of interviews with witnesses and friends and co-workers of both Agnes, as well as a reward of $50,000 being offered by the State of Connecticut, no arrest has been made.
Agnes emigrated to this country from Poland with her family in the early 1980s. She had lived in Hartford with her parents and two sisters before moving to an apartment of her own in West Hartford. Agnes graduated from the University of Connecticut and was working at United Health Care in Hartford at the time of her death. Agnes' father passed away in September of 1999 without his daughter's killer being arrested.
Anyone with any information regarding this case is urged to call the:
- Farmington Police Department Detective Unit at 860-675-2462 or 860-675-2460, or the
- Cold Case Unit at the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney at 860-258-5800, or
- Follow this link to email the Cold Case Unit or
- Call the Tip Line at 860-548-0606 or toll-free at 1-866-623-8058.
All calls will be kept confidential.
Sexual Assaults
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Wethersfield, Connecticut, August 3, 2004
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Winter Park, Florida, October 30, 2007
In August of 2004, a sixty-two-year-old woman was sexually assaulted while walking on the bicycle path in Wethersfield near the Wethersfield High School football field in Wethersfield, Connecticut. The attacker grabbed her from behind and told her to stop screaming or he would kill her. The assailant also stated that he had a knife. The attacker pushed the victim off the path to the west, covering her face with a red sweatshirt and telling her not to look at him or he would kill her. The attacker stated that he knew where she lived and knew the woods.
After sexually assaulting the victim, he then tied her hands loosely behind her back, instructed her to lay there until he whistled, and left. The victim was able to free herself and run for help after 15 minutes. The attacker was described as a five-feet six-inches(5' 6") tall, 145-165 lbs Hispanic male, speaking fluent English with a Spanish accent, with "bronze" skin, almond shaped eyes, and very dark thick hair.
On October 30, 2007, a Hispanic male, appearing to be 20-29 years old, wearing a dark blue shirt and pants and a dark colored hat entered the apartment of an eighty-six-year-old woman in Winter Park, Florida, and sexually battered her. The suspect saw the victim through her bedroom window, came inside through an unlocked door, pushed her on the bed and sexually assaulted her for approximately 15 minutes while physically restraining her. The suspect stole her purse when he fled.
After evidence from both sexual assaults was entered into the National DNA Database, both attacks were linked to one individual, whose name remains unknown. The Wethersfield Police Department, Cold Case Unit of the Chief State's Attorney's Office and authorities in Winter Park, Florida, are seeking public assistance in identifying the assailant.
If you think you know this individual or can provide any information about this incident:
- Call theWethersfield Police Department tip line at 860-721-2868
- Call the Cold Case Unit tip line at 860-548-0606 or toll-free at 1-866-623-8058 .
- Or you can follow this link to email the Cold Case Unit
- Write to the Cold Case Unit, P.O. Box 962, Rocky Hill, CT 06067 .
- In Florida, contact the Winter Park Police tip line at 1-800-423-TIPS.
All communications will be kept confidential.
In August of 2004, Superior Court Judge Elpedio N. Vitale signed Connecticut's first "John Doe" arrest warrant charging a suspect identified only by his DNA profile with four counts of Kidnapping in the First Degree with a Firearm.
The warrant was issued based on a Cold Case investigation by Inspector James Rovella of the Cold Case Unit of the Office of the Chief State's Attorney in conjunction with the Connecticut State Police Forensic Laboratory and the police departments in Bloomfield, Middletown, Rocky Hill and Windsor.
At the request of James E. Thomas, State's Attorney for the Judicial District of Hartford, Governor M. Jodi Rell issued a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual responsible for the crimes. A tip line has been established at 860-548-0606, or toll-free at 1-866-623-8058. All calls will remain confidential.
The warrant charges "John Doe" in the following crimes:
- On June 3, 1984, a twenty-five-year-old female was sexually assaulted in her apartment at the Sutton Apartments in Bloomfield by an armed man. The attacker entered the apartment through a sliding glass door, and the victim awoke with him standing next to the bed. The man placed his hand over the victim's mouth and told her not to scream or he would shoot her and her roommate. The intruder also said that he had just shot someone at a convenience store.
The intruder told the victim to smell the barrel of the gun. He blindfolded her, sexually assaulted her and then remained in the apartment for what the victim described as an "eternity." The intruder disabled the telephone, which was found the rear yard, searched the residence for valuables and drank a beer from the refrigerator. The victim remained in her bed until she felt the intruder had gone and then summoned police.
- On June 26, 1984, a thirty-year-old woman was sexually assaulted in her residence at the Trolley Crossing Condominiums in Middletown. The victim was sleeping when the intruder entered the residence through the sliding doors and jumped on top of her. The intruder put a gun to her head and told her that he had just shot someone for not cooperating.
The intruder blindfolded the victim, disabled the telephone, and searched the residence for valuables and money. At one point, he guided the blindfolded victim downstairs to find her purse. The intruder guided her back to the bedroom where he sexually assaulted her. The intruder remained in the residence asking if there was food in the refrigerator. The victim stated that her attacker remained in the residence for several hours.
- On July 21, 1984, a twenty-four-year-old woman was sexually assaulted in her apartment at the Rivers Bend Apartments in Windsor. The victim was sleeping when the intruder entered through sliding glass doors. She awakened to the man putting a gun to her head. The man blindfolded her and sexually assaulted her.
The intruder then sat her in a chair, still blindfolded, while he searched for valuables and money, disabled the telephone, tampered with the time on her clocks and ran water from faucets to cloak his departure. The victim estimated that it was a period of hours from the time the incident began until she felt safe that she could summon assistance.
- On July 24, 1984, a twenty-four-year-old woman was sexually assaulted at her apartment at the Westledge Apartments in Rocky Hill. The victim was sleeping in her bed with her 2-year-old daughter when the masked intruder entered through the sliding doors. The victim awoke to the man sitting beside her pointing a gun to the side of her face. The intruder told her not to scream as he began to touch her. The victim requested to move her daughter to another room. The intruder blindfolded her and additionally stuffed cotton balls into the blindfold. He then guided the victim as she carried her sleeping daughter to another bedroom where she placed the child on a bed. The intruder guided the victim back to the other bedroom and sexually assaulted her.
After the assault, the intruder disabled the telephone, searched the apartment for valuables and money and made himself something to eat. The victim estimates that he remained in the apartment for more than one hour, and left water faucets running to cloak his departure.
These crimes remain unsolved despite extensive investigation that drew upon the expertise and experience of a special task force of Detectives from the police departments in Bloomfield, Middletown, Rocky Hill and Windsor and the Connecticut State Police. The Detectives employed all means and techniques available at the time of the crimes, which was prior to the advent of DNA technology.
Subsequent developments in technology led to the DNA analysis of evidence from the scenes of the four attacks linking them to one individual, whose name remains unknown. The Connecticut State Police Forensic Laboratory continues to conduct routine searches of its DNA Data Bank and the National DNA Data Bank to place the DNA profile with a name. (DNA profiles from additional individuals are constantly being added to the State and National Data Banks).
Follow this link to e-mail the Cold Case Unit regarding any of these four crimes, or call the tip line at 860-548-0606 or toll-free at 1-866-623-8058. All communications will be kept confidential.
