Lt. John Aiello address the media.
A high-ranking officer with Connecticut state police pleaded with double homicide suspect Peter Manfredonia to turn himself in Tuesday.
“My message is to Peter directly,” Lt. John Aiello said. “Peter, we’ve talked to your family. We’ve talked to your friends and your roommates. All of them have said the same thing: that this behavior is out of the ordinary for you. We know this is not who you are.”
Aiello is the commanding officer of the Eastern District headquarters. Aiello made his comments during a short press conference at state police headquarters in Middletown Tuesday. The press was not allowed to ask questions.
It’s the second day in a row someone tried to reach Manfredonia through the news media.
On Monday, Michael Dolan, a lawyer in Hamden speaking on behalf of Manfredonia’s family, made a similar appeal.
Manfredonia, a 23-year-old senior at the University of Connecticut, is a suspect in two killings — one Friday morning in Willington, and one Sunday morning inside an apartment at 404 Roosevelt Drive in Derby.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts or with information about the cases are asked to call Connecticut State Police Troop C at 860 – 896-3200 or the FBI at 1 – 800-CALL FBI (225‑5324).
He is suspected of hacking a 62-year-old former Marine to death Friday morning in Willington and badly hurting an elderly man who tried to intervene.
Later he allegedly forced his way into a house in Willington for an extended period of time and stole weapons and a vehicle. Manfredonia abandoned his vehicle near Osbornedale State Park in Derby early Sunday and walked down to Roosevelt Drive, where his image was captured on surveillance cameras.
He then allegedly shot and killed Nick Eisele, 23, a former classmate of Manfredonia’s from Newtown, where they are both from. He then allegedly kidnapped Eisele’s girlfriend and stole her car. She was found unharmed later Sunday in New Jersey.
Article continues after the graphic provided by CT state police.
Willington Homicide Timeline Graphic by The Valley Indy on Scribd
Manfredonia was last seen behind a Walmart Sunday in East Stroudsburg.
Pennsylvania police Tuesday asked people to be on the lookout for a 2012 Black Hyundai Santa Fe SUV. Police said they’re not sure Manfredonia took the vehicle, but it was reported stolen in the area where he had been seen.
Meanwhile, back in Connecticut, Derby police are working in conjunction with the state police Central District Major Crime Squad to gather evidence and bring charges against Manfredonia.
State police are processing the crime scene in Roosevelt Drive and have conducted interviews. They will prepare a report that Derby police will use for the basis of an arrest warrant.
With Manfredonia still on the run as of Tuesday evening, authorities are keeping an eye out for any local evidence that could shed sunlight on where he’s heading.
Police have not talked about a motive in any of the crimes. His family’s lawyer noted Monday that Manfredonia has a history of mental health problems.
