Unsolved Homicides and Suspicious Deaths

It was in 1992, when John Susman, an orthodontist from East Haven mysteriously disappeared shortly after a divorce. Family members and friends had assumed that the then 43 year old had skipped town to start a new life. There had even been alleged sightings of him in other parts of the country and even overseas. What was strange though is that when he disappeared he had apparently left his keys, 10 thousand dollars in cash and his car behind in his 342 Cosey Beach Ave. home. Then June 7th 2001, a surveyor found the skeletal remains of John Sussman in a marsh three hundred yards from his home and less than a hundred yards from a tennis court where he used to play. Around the time of his disappearance, East Haven Police had searched the area around his home and had found nothing. Did the police simply miss finding the body or was it purposely placed there after the police finished their search? To this date, police do not know if it was natural causes, a bad reaction to medication, suicide or homicide that killed the East Haven resident. These are questions the family of John Sussman would like answers to.

Next to the Martha Moxley case, no case in Connecticut history has attracted more attention than the brutal homicide of Barbara Gibbons of Canaan, Connecticut. It has produced two well known books; "A Death in Canaan" and "Guilty Until Proven Innocent" a movie and longstanding controversy as to how State Police handled the case. On September 28, 1973 51 year old Barbara Gibbons was found murdered in her Canaan residence off of Route 63. Her 18 year old son, Peter Reilly was the first person to find her. She had been found dead on the bedroom floor, her throat cut she lost her life from the severe loss of blood. There were several injuries inflicted on her body after her death including two legs broken above the knees, cuts in her abdomen and lower back, several broken ribs, a fractured pelvis and injuries to her genitalia. After eight hours of intense police questioning, Peter Reilly signed a statement implicating himself. Months later, he was convicted of first degree manslaughter. Reilly recanted his confession and there were many people who viewed the confession as being coaxed. In 1977 a new trial was granted and new evidence was found. A judge acting as a one-man grand jury, eventually cleared Peter Reilly of the murder of his mother and criticized the state police's handling of the case. As recently as of January 2004, Peter Reilly and his attorneys have requested to see the state police files on the case. Their request was turned down as it was rumored that the files were destroyed. There are some in law enforcement that still believe Reilly committed the crime, yet there are many others that insist he was wrongly accused. Either way, justice for Barbara Gibbons has not been served.

Around 5 a.m. on Oct. 29, 1995 Police discovered what remained of Leah W. Ulbrich on Jordan Lane in Wethersfield. She had been dragged from a moving vehicle for almost 4 miles. The 24 year old had been seen just moments before being hit in the front passenger seat of a car that was stopped on Locust Street just outside the United Parcel Service facility in Hartford. Police believed that she was pushed out of the car but either grasped the seat belt or got her arm entangled in it. Witnesses described the driver of the vehicle as either being hispanic or white. He was well dressed, had slicked back black hair and was in his mid to late twenties. Police believe the car was a newer model Nissan Maxima, possibly from the model years 1991 to 1993. It was dark-colored, possibly brown, black, burgundy, maroon, gray or cranberry. If you have any information regarding this case please call the Hartford Police at 527-7300 extension 5230. There is a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for Leah Ulbrich's death.

Greenwich is well known as one of the richest towns in the entire country. While the Martha Moxley murder has garnered national headlines because of the convicted murderer's connection to the Kennedy family, there is a murder of a teenaged boy that has gone unsolved. In August 31st. 1984, Matthew Margolies was last seen heading towards the woods to go fishing. His family reported he was missing and five days later his body was found in a makeshift grave under a pile of leaves. He died of multiple stab wounds. A knife was found nearby, but his fishing rod was gone. His body had been found under some leaves with dirt shoved down his throat. There is a $50,000 REWARD for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for the 1984 murder of 13-year-old Matthew Margolies which occured in the Glenville section of Greenwich, CT. If you have information contact the Greenwich Police at 203-622-8000 or on the web at: Greenwich Police For more information about this case you can click on the link to a story by CourtTV.

In the early morning hours of Saturday, Oct. 26 2002, 35 year old Rigoberto Arevalo was found unconscious on the lawn of home on Forest Street in Torrington. He had suffered a serious head injury. The man also known as Willie was a five foot six and 140 pounds Hispanic male. He was last seen in the Torrington Commons at 211 High Street on October 25th. At the time of his death he was wearing dark clothes and wearing a blue baseball cap with a red brim bearing the name "Personal Touch Car Wash". It is believed that there was a group of young people in the vicinity of 41 Forest Street that may have some information regarding this unusual death. Police still have not labeled this case a homicide and believe that it is possible that the victim could have fallen and hit his head. Crimestoppers of Northwest Connecticut is offering a monetary reward for any information that will assist police in this case. If you have any information regarding the death of Rigoberto Arevalo please contact the Torrington Police Department at 489-2008.

The State of Connecticut is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) involved in the homicide of Anthony Hamlin. If you have any information about this case you are urged to contact the Connecticut State Police Eastern District Major Crime Squad at 860-886-6603 or you can contact the New London County State's Attorney at 860-443-2835.

Early March 2002, 66 year old John Buttery was found strangled to death in his apartment on Schraffts Drive. Pieces of Jewelry, money and his car were missing. Incidentally his black 1987 Nissan was found on Scott Road a day before he was dicovered dead. Some of his own jewelery had also been recovered. Police suspect that Buttery may have known his attacker. It is possible that his assailant may have been a male prostitute and police have a composite sketch of a possible suspect that was 5 foot 11, with dark curly hair with and a tattoo between his thumb and index finger. If you have any information regarding this case please call the Waterbury Police Department at (203) 574-6941.

November 9th 1998 at 8am, 16 year old Ashley Turniak was found dead on the breakdown lane of I-91 south in Longmeadow, Massachusetts just 1˝ mile from the Connecticut border. The well liked teenager from Agawam had been seen in her high school parking lot before her first class started at 7:25 that morning. Less than an hour later, witnesses reported that she went feet-first from the passenger window of a car heading south towards Connecticut. Her backpack was found on Woodlawn Avenue in Enfield, Connecticut not far from a highway exit. At the time of her death witnesses reported that she was in a tan or light brown mid-size vehicle, possibly a late 80s model Ford Tempo or a vehicle similar to that. After Turniak's fall, the car was seen leaving I-91 at Exit 49 in Connecticut. More than five years later many questions persist, was she pushed or did she fall? Who was the driver? A still grieving family and Massachusetts State Police want to know. If you have any information about this case please call (413) 747-4809.

The week before Thanksgiving in 1966, a young Stratford boy gave his mother the shock of her life. He was throwing an a large orb like object in the air as he entered his house. The mother was shocked when she realized that the object was actually a human skull! Police were led to the site where the boy found the skull behind the Town Fair Bowling Lanes on Stratford Avenue. Beneath an old mattress were the remains of 16 year old Anne Marie Voytek who had been reported missing on June 17, months earlier. The High School sophomore had been stabbed 23 times. According to sources, she had last been seen at a friend's house on Artic Avenue in Bridgeport and was supposed to be on her way home the next day. In an even more bizarre twist the father of the friend of Voytek, was killed in a hit and run crash. Voytek's friend has since died as well. If you have any information about this case please contact the Stratford Police Detective Bureau at 203-385-4120. As usual all calls will be confidential.

During the month of September in 1996, Eighteen year old Rhonda Johnson and her six month old son Coran were brutally gunned down. The two had been shot multiple times as their car was parked on Grenhart Road between Victory and Diaz streets which is located near Exit 6 off of Interstate 95 in Stamford. This case is not without suspects and a person of interest is currently incarcerated for a different crime. There is a fifty thousand dollar reward available for information leading to the conviction of the person(s) responsible for these homicides. If you have information about this case please call the Stamford Detective Bureau at 203-977-4417. (Photo taken from www.thejusticejournal.com)

On February 18, 2005, fifty year old Sandra Ramos Cuadrado was found murdered in her apartment on 70 Olive Street in the town of Naugatuck. She had suffered knife wounds to her neck and head. The mother of three and grandmother of one, lived alone with her pet dog. It is believed that the dog was also attacked due to an injury to its rib cage. Sandra Ramos Cuadrado was originally from New York City but moved to Naugatuck ten years prior. If you have any information about this case you should call the Naugatuck Police at (203) 729-5221.

It was one of the most brutal murders the city of Bridgeport had ever seen. On the evening of Aug. 1, 1994, 45 year old, Benjamin Rosario left the gray the apartment house on Union Avenue which he shared with his wife. He then walked four blocks along Connecticut Avenue to the Side Effects Café. Two days later, several of his dismembered body parts were found in garbage bags just blocks away on Seaview Avenue from where he was last seen. In the days following, more garbage bags were found with additional remains of Rosario. Bridgeport Police have ruled out accussed serial killer Richard Rogers who murdered his victims in similar manners. There is a 20 thousand dollar reward for information leading to the conviction of the person(s) responsible for the savage murder of Benjamin Rosario. You can contact Detective Teixeira at (203) 576-8335 or Detective Robert Sherback at (203) 332-3027.

Thirty-four year-old Edward Bell died in a shooting May 6, 2005 in front of his home on George Street in the south end of Hartford. A fifty thousand dollar reward is being offered for information that can lead to an arrest of the individual(s) responsible for the murder of George Bell. If you have any information about this case, please call Hartford police at 860-757-4021. All calls can be confidential.