Andre LeFrancois
ANSONIA – The Ansonia man who murdered Rosali Violet Acquefreda in front of their three-year-old son was sentenced to 35 years in prison on Tuesday (Jan. 7).
Andre LeFrancois, 27, pleaded guilty to the murder in October. The sentence is the maximum allowed under a plea agreement accepted by the court.
There was clapping from the victim’s family as Judge Kevin S. Russo handed down the sentence. He said that LeFrancois hadn’t displayed sufficient remorse for him to reduce the sentence any further.
“It’s a senseless crime,” Russo told the court. “We should not be here.”
Background
On Aug. 30, 2020, Acquefreda’s fiancé received a call from her while she was in her car after leaving work. He heard a struggle and contacted police. Separately, the Ansonia Police Department was responding to a 911 call which reported an injured woman near North Coe Lane on the Ansonia-Derby border.
Upon arrival, police found Acquefreda, who had been stabbed multiple times while in her vehicle, according to court documents. She passed away after being taken to Griffin Hospital.
LeFrancois was arrested later that week and charged with her murder. Her family members said they knew it was him from the beginning.
In 2020 – and again in statements to the court on Tuesday – they described LeFrancois as an obsessive ex who couldn’t handle the fact that she had a new partner. LeFrancois and Acquefreda had met when she was 14, and they had one son together.
Relatives and prosecutors described the relationship as “toxic.” Acquefreda was afraid of LeFrancois, her father said, but maintained contact so he could be in their son’s life.
In a 2023 psychiatric evaluation while in custody, LeFrancois was diagnosed with intermittent explosive disorder, a condition characterized by frequent outbursts of aggression and anger.
He pleaded guilty to the murder charge on Oct. 3, 2024, four years after Acquefreda’s death.
Victim’s Family: Murder Had “Ripple Effect” On Lives Of Loved Ones
In statements to the court, Rosali’s loved ones described the pain and loss that LeFrancois had inflicted on her family.
“We all knew it was him when it happened. At first I was told it was a hit-and run, but I knew,” said Melissa Acquefreda, Rosali’s mother.
She said that she had given LeFrancois chances to change his behavior before Rosali’s murder, but that he never did.
“It’s selfish, heartless, for what he did to my daughter,” she said. “She crawled about 77 feet, looking for help. He left her on the side of the road like she was a deer, a dead animal. She crawled a big amount looking for someone to help her.”
Rosali Violet Acquefreda, of Derby.
Melissa described Rosali as a loving mother, daughter, and sister. Rosali’s final journal entry, Melissa said, was a note about her brother’s upcoming birthday on Sept. 2 – the date that LeFrancois would be arrested.
Sarah Pate, a close friend of Rosali’s, said that she was robbed of the chance to see her son grow up.
“She deserved to live, and she deserved to see her child grow up and celebrate holidays and birthdays with him,” Pate said.
The plea bargain had included the “right to argue” for a sentence as low as 25 years. Kenneth Bunker, the public defender who represented LeFrancois, asked for a lower sentence, portraying his client as a victim of childhood abuse who “snapped” after fearing that he wouldn’t be able to see his son anymore.
However, Judge Russo said that 35 years was already a compromise. He said that, as recently as 2023, LeFrancois had continued “minimizing and misrepresenting” his actions, and that he couldn’t justify reducing the sentence any further.
“He told the story he believed would help himself,” Russo said.
Domestic Violence Resources
Rosali’s loved ones said that LeFrancois had engaged in a pattern of abuse long before her murder. Russo also pointed out that her murder is one of many domestic violence cases in the area.
“We have other cases pending in this jurisdiction that are eerily, eerily similar to this case,” Russo said.
In the Lower Naugatuck Valley, there is help available by calling BHcare’s Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence at 203 – 736‑9944, 203 – 789‑8104 or 1 – 888 – 774‑2900. Statewide domestic violence assistance can be found at www.CTSafeConnect.org or call/text (888) 774‑2900.
