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. 'Something happened' and the next thing he knew he had stabbed her in the chest with a knife he was carrying. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. (Kassi Jackson / Hartford Courant) SIMSBURY . And he always seemed so happy.". 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. 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. "We knew what we had to do. Leverett, 27, of Windsor Locks, who is a registered sex offender, was charged with one count of murder. The arrest warrant detailed Leverett wrote confession letters the night of the murder. In October 2020, Leverett was offered a 35-year prison sentence and 10 years parole in a plea deal. Residents received two automatic telephone calls from the police that said officers were investigating in the area of Woodleigh Place and Stillwood Chase, a residential neighborhood where homes often have more than one acre of property and cost in the range of $700,000. Officers were called to the scene late Sunday afternoon. He went to walk along the path near Iron Horse Boulevard in hopes of finding someone to talk with. "I was sitting in my living room, watching baseball on television, when I heard the voices," she said. 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. RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Police tailed Simsbury cold case murder suspect after confession. Email us atnewsteam@fox61.com. SIMSBURY A teen escaped a home where police say two people died in a domestic violence shooting on Sunday. Downey testified that he could not remember what happened the night of the shooting, Alexander said. The calls were made through the CT Alert system. Milan was found with fatal stab wounds on a busy trail along Iron Horse Boulevard on Nov. 14, 2014. Authorities released a gut-wrenching video on Wednesday that shows a Connecticut man entering a police department lobby and confessing to a brutal murder. I was just going with the flow, Downey said during a hearing to suppress his statements. The night of the killing, he was at a sex offenders support group meeting in Hartford. SIMSBURY, CT William Leverett, a suspect in the 2014 homicide of 54-year-old Simsbury mother Melissa Millan, has pleaded guilty to her murder, court records show. SIMSBURY The deaths of a husband and wife on Sunday have been ruled a murder-suicide, officials said. I used to see them pushing him in a stroller that looked like a truck. The couple prayed with Mr. Leverett. ', 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? 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. 3. A major police presence descended on the neighborhood. 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.. Leverett pleaded. By clicking Accept all you agree that Yahoo and our partners will process your personal information, and use technologies such as cookies, to display personalised ads and content, for ad and content measurement, audience insights, and product development. SIMSBURY The deaths of a husband and wife on Sunday have been ruled a murder-suicide, officials said. The body of Roberto Fonseca-Rivera, 44, of Boston, Massachusetts, was found behind the wheel of the Katsiroubas Produce truck he had . Milan pushed Leverett away, forcing the knife out of her chest as Leverett clutched the weapon. Double-murder suicide in CT: PD/ Woman helps fuel restaurant biz/ Fire destroys garage/ $220K embezzlement case/ Bank access restricted. He also noted that before the case went to trial, Downey rejected a variety of plea offers that would have had him plead guilty to manslaughter and receive a lesser sentence. 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 will be sentenced on May 3, his public defender said. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/27/nyregion/confess-cold-case-murder-connecticut-jogger.html. "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. Records from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation show that Mr. Leverett was convicted of sexually assaulting a child in 2009, when he lived in Colorado. At their urging, Leverett went to the police department to turn himself in. 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. ', 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? He did not know her but was attracted to her physical features and decided to park his car and approach her, the affidavit said. 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.. Friends may call at the Ahern Funeral Home, 111 Main Street, Route 4, Unionville on Tuesday, Sept. 25, from 11 a.m. 1 p.m. Funeral services will be held in the Ahern Funeral Home at 1 pm with the Rev. "I never knew their names, but it seemed like they were working. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Doug Stewart is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. Investigating officers eventually found 59-year-old Bernard Halligan Jr. dead in the garage of the home, Davis said. 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. 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. RELATED: Suspect in 2014 Simsbury murder pleads not guilty. He had been held on a $2 million bond. She also cautioned him that with his rejection Tuesday the deal is permanently withdrawn. Id like to see him released alive, Simon said. 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. 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. He referred to Ms. Millan as way out of my league, the affidavit said, and became angry and went into a frenzy., Mr. CT 06045 Phone: 800-237-3606 Email: service@ . 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. pointed a gun at Day and pulled the trigger, reported that Dominik's father was still active in his life. Anyone can read what you share. 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.. A Connecticut Woman Was Killed While Jogging. 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. 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. William Leverett will be sentenced to prison in May for the death of Melissa Millan. It was the nature of the injury and the nature of the weapon involved.. Simsbury police are investigating a shooting on Woodleigh Place in Weatogue. He has health problems, including a condition that thickens his blood and makes him more susceptible to strokes, and heart disease. Police are still investigating the incidents that led up to the fatal double shooting that night. 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. Private immediate family plus Michaels close friends may call at the Vincent Funeral Home, 120 Albany Turnpike in Canton on Tuesday, Sept. 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial 11 a.m. at St. Patricks Church in Collinsville. 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. The killing of Melissa Millan in 2014 shocked the town of Simsbury, Conn. An insurance executive and mother of two, Ms. Millan, 54, was stabbed while jogging and was found bloodied on a. Christopher Keating is a reporter for the Hartford Courant. When Leverett came home on the day of the murder, he went for a walk to find "human contact" and someone to talk to, according to the court documents. 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. The suspect had been arrested for sexual assault of a child in 2009 in Colorado and pleaded guilty in 2011, The Hartford Courant reported. This is a carousel. Mr. Leverett went to the Simsbury Police Department that night and was interviewed by the police for more than four hours. Then he confessed to us that he did it, she said in an interview on Wednesday. Simsbury apparent murder-suicide kills 2, police investigating, Serious crash closes CT stretch of I-95 South, state police say, Suspect in 2021 fatal shooting arrested, Hamden police say, Police tape blocks off the door of an apparent shooting in Canton. Last week, investigators found Mr. Leveretts handwritten letters from 2014 which referred to a serious crime, but not a murder specifically and the glove in the barn, which was entered as evidence, the authorities said. Mr. Leverett said that Ms. Millan fell onto the road and that he thought he heard her say, Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, before he drove off in his car, according to the affidavit. Two people have died. "I just turned up the television.". Simsbury double fatal shooting ruled a murder-suicide 00:00 00:00 An unknown error has occurred The Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Linda Halligan's death a homicide from. Leverett rejected the deal during a court hearing. He told investigators he went into a frenzy after seeing Millan and at that moment, decided to attack her with a knife he had in his vehicle, according to the arrest application. On the night of Sept. 19, the parents of Elizabeth Day, 24, and Michael Wawrzyniak, 25, received a devastating call from police. The Connecticut domestic violence hotline can be reached 24/7 at 888-774-2900, or 844-831-9200 for Spanish speakers. You can change your choices at any time by visiting your privacy controls. Downey is a different man now, Simon told the judge. Yes, I do, your honor, Leverett responded. They were a young couple with a little boy. He went on to tell investigators that he was embarrassed and scared and figured that if I just killed somebody it would make all that go away and I wouldnt have to explain myself., When he spotted Milan, a 54-year-old executive at Mass Mutual Life Insurance Co., running on the trail, he told investigators that he got mentally aroused, which then turned to anxiety and anger when he realized I cant have her and that she was way out of my league.. Nearly four years ago, Melissa Millan, a mother of two, was brutally murdered in Connecticut while she was out on a jog. William Leverett, a convicted sex offender, is accused of killing 54-year-old Melissa Millan in November 2014. 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. She had gone out for a run the night before. SIMSBURY -- A young Simsbury couple died Wednesday evening, the apparent victims of a murder-suicide. 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. So its not only us, but the whole community has been affected by this.. 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. Both were. He said he had blacked out, and when he realized what happened called 911 immediately, Alexander said. 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. 335. At one point, officers advised residents in the neighborhood to remain inside their homes. The manner of death for her husband, 59-year-old Bernard Halligan Jr., was ruled a suicide. Millan was a senior vice president at Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. Millan was found dead along Iron Horse Boulevard on Nov. 20, 2014. She was found stabbed to death while jogging on Iron Horse Boulevard on November 20, 2014. Retracing the path of controversial Project Veritas founder James O'Keefe includes many stops in Connecticut. Leverett saw Millan on the running path and said he was immediately attracted to her physical features, according to the arrest warrant application. Police officers were dispatched to the scene, and the dipatcher then heard several gunshots, the report said. Tara O'Neill was formerly a breaking news reporter with Hearst Connecticut Media Group. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery, Avon. Downey, 61, has worked in a variety of jobs, taken advantage of every program the correction system offers, is remorseful, and has remained sober despite the availability of drugs and other substances in prison, his lawyers told Hartford Superior Court Judge Laura F. Baldini. 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. Millan was a 54-year-old mother of two, and an insurance executive. 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. William Winters Leverett, left, appeared in court on Monday during his arraignment for the 2014 killing of Melissa Millan in Simsbury, Conn. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery in Collinsville. On November 20, 2014, Simsbury police responded to a report of a female pedestrian lying in the roadway on Iron Horse Boulevard shortly after 8 p.m. He moved to Simsbury. No next court date was scheduled Tuesday. 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.. Although he left the police station that night, police said they monitored Leverett from the time he initially confessed until his arrest on September 23. Beth Day and Michael Wawrzyniak, who lived at the Meadows Apartments, 71 Hopmeadow St . The first Simsbury Police officer arrived at the apartment within 30 seconds of being dispatched. Exclusive: Simsbury Police release new details in murder of MassMutual executive | fox61.com. SIMSBURY, Conn. 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