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Obituaries
14-Year-Old CT Boy Killed In Dirt Bike Crash 14-Year-Old CT Boy Killed In Dirt Bike Crash
14-Year-Old CT Boy Killed In Dirt Bike Crash A 14-year-old Connecticut boy was killed over the weekend when he crashed his dirt bike into a rocky embankment, authorities said. Now, the community is coming together to help his family.  Erik Brooker, a freshman at RHAM High School in Hebron, died when he lost control of his dirt bike on an S-curve on Burnt Hill Road in Hebron shortly before 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14, Connecticut State Police said. His bike hit a rocky embankment and threw him from the vehicle. Paramedics rushed the teen to an area hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead, police said. Regional School District…

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by Josh Lanier
Obituaries
Loved Ones Mourn Sudden Death Of CT Firefighter: ‘John Will Be Missed’ Loved Ones Mourn Sudden Death Of CT Firefighter: ‘John Will Be Missed’
Loved Ones Mourn Sudden Death Of CT Firefighter: ‘John Will Be Missed’ A Connecticut community is grieving after the sudden death of South Windsor Fire Department Staff Lt. John M. Kania. The 71-year-old lifelong South Windsor resident worked at Pratt & Whitney for more than 44 years. Kania was a second-generation firefighter in town and served nine years with Support Company 6 and its Fire Police Unit, the South Windsor Fire Department said. The cause of death was not released. When not serving his community, Kania enjoyed fishing and shooting sports. He was happiest surrounded by family, especially his grandchildren, according to his obituary. Kania lea…

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by Josh Lanier
Obituaries
Loved Ones Mourn CT Dad Killed In Fiery Crash: ‘We Will Always Remember That Smile' Loved Ones Mourn CT Dad Killed In Fiery Crash: ‘We Will Always Remember That Smile'
Loved Ones Mourn CT Dad Killed In Fiery Crash: ‘We Will Always Remember That Smile' A Connecticut community is rallying around a family who lost their father in a fiery head-on collision as he drove home from work last week.  Venancio Papalotzi-George, 46, was on Route 66 in Middlefield when his Honda collided head-on with a Jeep around midnight Friday, Aug. 29. The Wrangler flipped on its roof and burst into flames. Bystanders pulled the driver of the Jeep from the burning vehicle, and paramedics rushed them to a hospital, where they were recovering. But rescuers could not reach Papalotzi-George in time. Authorities said he suffered catastrophic injuries and died bef…

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by Josh Lanier
Obituaries
Woman Severely Burned In Killingly House Fire Dies 2 Weeks After Blaze Woman Severely Burned In Killingly House Fire Dies 2 Weeks After Blaze
Woman Severely Burned In Killingly House Fire Dies 2 Weeks After Blaze The 75-year-old woman who was seriously injured in a Connecticut house fire earlier this month has died, officials announced.  Kathy Samuelson was severely burned in a house fire on Hartford Pike in Killingly on Aug. 7, Connecticut State Police said.  Firefighters were called to the home around 1:30 p.m. and found Samuelson inside. Paramedics airlifted her to a burn center, but doctors were unable to save her. She died on Aug. 21, authorities announced Thursday.  Crews told news outlets that there were hoarding conditions inside the home, which complicated putting out the bl…

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by Josh Lanier
Obituaries
Family Of Slain CT Barber Speaks Out: 'Taken From Us In Worst Way Possible' Family Of Slain CT Barber Speaks Out: 'Taken From Us In Worst Way Possible'
Family Of Slain CT Barber Speaks Out: 'Taken From Us In Worst Way Possible' A strong community is forming around the family of a Bristol business owner who was fatally shot last week in New Britain. Jayson Bruno-Matos, 36, was found with gunshot wounds in the 100 block of Arch Street around 2 a.m. on Saturday after multiple 911 callers reported hearing gunfire, police said. One of his siblings has launched a GoFundMe campaign seeking support from the community that Bruno-Matos loved—and neighbors are stepping up. The fundraiser has already collected more than $6,000 to cover funeral expenses and help support his daughters and other family members. The campaign’s g…

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by Josh Lanier
Obituaries
CT Firefighter, Veteran Who 'Lived Life With Intensity, Heart' Killed In I-95 Crash CT Firefighter, Veteran Who 'Lived Life With Intensity, Heart' Killed In I-95 Crash
CT Firefighter, Veteran Who 'Lived Life With Intensity, Heart' Killed In I-95 Crash Authorities have identified a 32-year-old Connecticut firefighter as the motorcyclist who died in a crash on I-95 in Guilford late last week. Michael Terrio, of Killingworth, a member of the Guilford Fire Department, was riding a Suzuki GSX-R1000 when he crashed into the back of a Volvo near Exit 59 southbound on Friday, Aug. 22, around 8:45 p.m., Connecticut State Police said. Paramedics took Terrio to Yale New Haven Hospital, where he later died from his injuries. The Volvo’s driver, a 66-year-old man from Freehold, New Jersey, sustained minor injuries in the collision. The Guilford Fir…

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by Josh Lanier
Obituaries
Bristol Business Owner Shot Multiple Times in New Britain ‘Disturbance’ Dies: Police Bristol Business Owner Shot Multiple Times in New Britain ‘Disturbance’ Dies: Police
Bristol Business Owner Shot Multiple Times in New Britain ‘Disturbance’ Dies: Police A 42-year-old Bristol man and business owner who was shot multiple times over the weekend has died, authorities announced Monday, Aug. 25. Jayson Bruno-Matos was found with gunshot wounds in the 100 block of Arch Street in New Britain around 2 a.m. Saturday, after multiple 911 callers reported hearing gunfire, police said. Related: GoFundMe Created For Jayson Bruno-Matos' Family Paramedics rushed Bruno-Matos to a nearby hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Investigators said the shooting stemmed from a “disturbance” and emphasized that there is no ongoing threat to the pu…

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by Josh Lanier
Obituaries
'Unimaginable': Family Of 6-Year-Old Who Drowned In Housatonic River Asks for Help 'Unimaginable': Family Of 6-Year-Old Who Drowned In Housatonic River Asks for Help
'Unimaginable': Family Of 6-Year-Old Who Drowned In Housatonic River Asks for Help The family of a 6-year-old boy who died after falling into the Housatonic River in Stratford last week is asking for the community’s help to lay him to rest. Jadyn Martinez, the father of 6-year-old Jahseh Martinez, launched a GoFundMe to help cover funeral expenses. Earlier Report: Crews Located Body of Missing 6-Year-Old From Stratford "He was a very smart, very bright, special, intelligent young boy," Jadyn wrote. "Anything you can donate is well appreciated. We thank you, and please keep our family in your prayers to bring his body home to us." As of Monday, the fundraiser had colle…

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by Josh Lanier
Obituaries
NY Legislator Killed In Plane Crash 'Passed Doing What He Loved,' Colleague Says NY Legislator Killed In Plane Crash 'Passed Doing What He Loved,' Colleague Says
NY Legislator Killed In Plane Crash 'Passed Doing What He Loved,' Colleague Says Tributes are flooding in for a New York county legislator who was killed in a small plane crash in Rhode Island that injured two others. Montgomery County Legislator Dan Wilson, 77, died Wednesday, July 30, when the single-engine Piper Cherokee Archer went down during a failed landing attempt at Block Island State Airport, colleagues and police confirmed. Two other passengers—an 87-year-old pilot from Mechanicville and a 77-year-old woman from Clifton Park—survived and were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, North Shoreham Police said. The plane, owned by the Condair Flyers F…

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by Michael Mashburn
Obituaries
Remembering Raymond Moreau: CT Pays Tribute To Dedicated Firefighter, US Marine Vet Remembering Raymond Moreau: CT Pays Tribute To Dedicated Firefighter, US Marine Vet
Remembering Raymond Moreau: CT Pays Tribute To Dedicated Firefighter, US Marine Vet Connecticut honors those who die in its service. That's the sentiment state and local leaders hope the community takes away following the death of Raymond "Ray" Moreau, a Plainville firefighter who died while battling a fire on Sunday, July 27. Plainville will host a memorial ceremony for Moreau at Plainville High School's Tinty Stadium at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. The public is invited. Posted by Plainville Fire Company on Sunday, July 27, 2025 Gov. Ned Lamont has ordered all flags at state buildings to be lowered to half-staff in recognition of the sacrifice Lamont made to the state. “…

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by Josh Lanier
Obituaries
Community Rallies for Family Of CT Ghost Hunter Who Died On Haunted Annabelle Doll Tour Community Rallies for Family Of CT Ghost Hunter Who Died On Haunted Annabelle Doll Tour
Community Rallies for Family Of CT Ghost Hunter Who Died On Haunted Annabelle Doll Tour The ghost-hunting community and friends across New England are coming together to support the family of Dan Rivera, a Connecticut paranormal investigator who died unexpectedly during a tour involving the infamous Annabelle doll. Rivera, known for his work with the Warren Legacy Foundation, died on Sunday, July 13, while showcasing the doll and other items in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as part of the “Devils on the Run” tour.  The 54-year-old Southport man was the lead investigator for the New England Society for Psychic Research and well-known for his work in the field. He's surviv…

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by Josh Lanier
Obituaries
Mass DA's Stepdaughter Killed In Suspected Colorado Homicide: 'We Are Heartbroken' Mass DA's Stepdaughter Killed In Suspected Colorado Homicide: 'We Are Heartbroken'
Mass DA's Stepdaughter Killed In Suspected Colorado Homicide: 'We Are Heartbroken' A man from Colorado has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of the 32-year-old stepdaughter of Berkshire County District Attorney Timothy J. Shugrue. Jordan Elizabeth LaBarre was killed on July 7 inside a home in Blue River, a small mountain town near Breckenridge, Colorado. Police were called to the house around 6:20 p.m. after neighbors reported hearing gunshots, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation said. Officers surrounded the home, and 46-year-old Daniel Joseph DeVito surrendered peacefully, according to the CBI. LaBarre, who grew up in Chicopee an…

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by Josh Lanier