Latest news with #BridgeportPoliceDepartment

18-06-2025
Retired detective found dead in hoarding conditions, months after she went missing
GLASTONBURY, Conn. -- Mary Notarangelo lived a reclusive life in her later years, according to the few people who had contact with her. The retired police detective tended to her many birds at her Connecticut home and posted videos of them on social media, including one accompanying her on a trip to a local crafts store. But a welfare check request to police last year uncovered disturbing truths. Hoarding conditions were found in her house in Glastonbury, just southeast of Hartford, when authorities tried to find her last July. It wasn't until February that a work crew using a small excavator discovered her skeletal remains. They were found beneath a pile of debris heaped just inside her front door, according to a police report released Wednesday. Glastonbury police said conditions in the single-family home set off a rural road in the woods were among the worst they've seen and hindered several search attempts over the months. Officers said there were 6-foot-tall (2-meter-tall) 'mountains' of garbage blocking entrance doors. Dead birds were found in cages along with mice running about and a live cat. And there was a terrible stench. 'Once inside, I observed more mountains of garbage, cobwebs, and spiders,' Officer Anthony Longo wrote in the report. 'There was no path whatsoever. The only way to move from room to room was by climbing over the garbage.' It's not clear how Notarangelo died. At 73, she was a retired Bridgeport police detective and longtime Wiccan, according to officials and friends. Her death was first reported by Hearst Connecticut Media earlier Wednesday. The state medical examiner's office said her cause of death could not be determined because the remains were mostly skeletal. A friend had called police to request the welfare check July 3, 2024. He told investigators Notarangelo last texted him around June 12, 2024, saying she was having abdominal cramps, vomiting and had fallen. It's not clear why the friend — who did not return phone and text messages — waited so long to call authorities. It's also not clear why it took seven months to find her remains, although several attempts had been made and officials cited the mounds of trash and other items. A police spokesperson did not immediately return an email seeking comment about the timeline. 'It's so upsetting and so sad,' said another friend, Patti Steeves, who worked with Notarangelo at the Bridgeport Police Department as a civilian employee years ago. 'She, as quirky as she was, she was a good person at heart.' Steeves added: 'She was passionate about her faith. She was passionate about her job. She had a great sense of humor. And she loved her animals. She loved her animals more than she did herself.' Steeves said she tried to talk with Notarangelo about the hoarding, but Notarangelo wouldn't discuss it. She said Notarangelo was a 'bird fanatic' who had about 20 birds, including cockatoos, cockatiels and parrots, and a cat and a dog. Bridgeport police said Notarangelo worked there from 1985 to 1996. She was promoted to detective in 1992 and to sergeant a year later. Steeves said she retired on disability after an on-duty car crash that injured her back and legs. Notarangelo posted occasionally on her social media accounts, saying she was an animal lover and an 'intuitive & reiki master,' referring to the Japanese healing practice. She posted videos and photos of her birds, including a cockatoo perched on a shopping cart during her outing to a crafts store. Police and firefighters first searched the home on July 3, 2024, the day of the welfare check request but couldn't find her, citing hoarding piles as a major factor. They also sent a drone in the house, but it hit cobwebs and became disabled, police said. More searches, they said, were conducted on July 5, July 11, July 12 and Nov. 20. On Feb. 24, an environmental services crew arrived with a small excavator. Plywood was removed from the front door area and crews used the excavator to carefully remove the contents of the home through the opening. Notarangelo's remains were discovered within minutes, police said. An attorney was assigned to handle Notarangelo's estate in March. He did not return phone and email messages Wednesday.


Winnipeg Free Press
18-06-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Retired detective found dead in hoarding conditions in Connecticut, months after she went missing
GLASTONBURY, Conn. (AP) — Mary Notarangelo lived a reclusive life in her later years, according to the few people who had contact with her. The retired police detective tended to her many birds at her Connecticut home and posted videos of them on social media, including one accompanying her on a trip to a local crafts store. But a welfare check request to police last year uncovered disturbing truths. Hoarding conditions were found in her house in Glastonbury, just southeast of Hartford, when authorities tried to find her last July. It wasn't until February that a work crew using a small excavator discovered her skeletal remains. They were found beneath a pile of debris heaped just inside her front door, according to a police report released Wednesday. Glastonbury police said conditions in the single-family home set off a rural road in the woods were among the worst they've seen and hindered several search attempts over the months. Officers said there were 6-foot-tall (2-meter-tall) 'mountains' of garbage blocking entrance doors. Dead birds were found in cages along with mice running about and a live cat. And there was a terrible stench. 'Once inside, I observed more mountains of garbage, cobwebs, and spiders,' Officer Anthony Longo wrote in the report. 'There was no path whatsoever. The only way to move from room to room was by climbing over the garbage.' It's not clear how Notarangelo died. At 73, she was a retired Bridgeport police detective and longtime Wiccan, according to officials and friends. Her death was first reported by Hearst Connecticut Media earlier Wednesday. The state medical examiner's office said her cause of death could not be determined because the remains were mostly skeletal. A friend had called police to request the welfare check July 3, 2024. He told investigators Notarangelo last texted him around June 12, 2024, saying she was having abdominal cramps, vomiting and had fallen. It's not clear why the friend — who did not return phone and text messages — waited so long to call authorities. It's also not clear why it took seven months to find her remains, although several attempts had been made and officials cited the mounds of trash and other items. A police spokesperson did not immediately return an email seeking comment about the timeline. 'It's so upsetting and so sad,' said another friend, Patti Steeves, who worked with Notarangelo at the Bridgeport Police Department as a civilian employee years ago. 'She, as quirky as she was, she was a good person at heart.' Steeves added: 'She was passionate about her faith. She was passionate about her job. She had a great sense of humor. And she loved her animals. She loved her animals more than she did herself.' Steeves said she tried to talk with Notarangelo about the hoarding, but Notarangelo wouldn't discuss it. She said Notarangelo was a 'bird fanatic' who had about 20 birds, including cockatoos, cockatiels and parrots, and a cat and a dog. Bridgeport police said Notarangelo worked there from 1985 to 1996. She was promoted to detective in 1992 and to sergeant a year later. Steeves said she retired on disability after an on-duty car crash that injured her back and legs. Notarangelo posted occasionally on her social media accounts, saying she was an animal lover and an 'intuitive & reiki master,' referring to the Japanese healing practice. She posted videos and photos of her birds, including a cockatoo perched on a shopping cart during her outing to a crafts store. Police and firefighters first searched the home on July 3, 2024, the day of the welfare check request but couldn't find her, citing hoarding piles as a major factor. They also sent a drone in the house, but it hit cobwebs and became disabled, police said. More searches, they said, were conducted on July 5, July 11, July 12 and Nov. 20. On Feb. 24, an environmental services crew arrived with a small excavator. Plywood was removed from the front door area and crews used the excavator to carefully remove the contents of the home through the opening. Notarangelo's remains were discovered within minutes, police said. An attorney was assigned to handle Notarangelo's estate in March. He did not return phone and email messages Wednesday. Relatives of Notarangelo, including her brother and niece, declined to comment.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The ‘O' by Oliverio's hosts Paint the Night Blue Gala
BRIDGEPORT, (WBOY) — The 'O' by Oliverio's hosted an evening of elegance, entertainment and gratitude Saturday night at the Paint the Night Blue Gala. Organized in honor of law enforcement heroes, the event provided a lively and meaningful night that supports the ongoing mission of the Hotsinpiller Foundation, which provides resources and recognition for first responders across West Virginia and beyond. The event featured live music, dancing, food, and most importantly the chance to give back to a cause that uplifts those who serve and protect. Swords, stories and more at Morgantown StoryFest 'Not only are we still doing the scholarships, but we are able to provide assistance to law enforcement officers in times of need as well as agencies around the state. And we've also expanded our borders throughout the country and donated to officers in their time of need,' the President of the Hotsinpiller Foundation Dustin Hotsinpiller said. 'My father passed away in December of 2001, he had been with the Bridgeport Police Department for 27 years, and we had always talked about, when he passed away about starting a scholarship foundation,' Hotsinpiller continued. 'It really came to fruition when my brother was killed in the line of duty February 16, 2011. At that point and time, we knew we had to do something.' The Hotsinpiller Foundation began as a scholarship fund, but over time, the family recognized a growing need within the community. In response, they expanded their mission, shaping it into the comprehensive foundation it is today. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Bridgeport police sergeant fired following discipline hearing
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WTNH) — A Bridgeport police sergeant was terminated following a discipline hearing this week, police say. On Wednesday, department leaders said Sergeant Marlon Campo's employment with the Bridgeport Police Department was terminated effective immediately. Connecticut Office of Inspector General releases video of Bridgeport police officer shooting man They said it was a result of a discipline hearing on Tuesday, June 3. Police did not elaborate on the reason, explaining its an ongoing personnel matter. 'The Bridgeport Police Department takes all acts of misconduct seriously and whenever there are sustained charges, appropriate action is taken immediately. Public trust and confidence are dependent upon such actions by the Department,' officials said. An Instagram post from Bridgeport police in 2024 referred to Campo as the contact for anyone interested in joining the Citizens Academy. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Yahoo
CT fugitive apprehended in Bridgeport last week charged in two stabbings
A man wanted as a fugitive in multiple states who was arrested last week has been charged in two stabbings in Bridgeport. Nicholas Allwood, 27, was charged Monday with attempted murder and two counts each of first-degree assault and carrying a dangerous weapon, according to the Bridgeport Police Department. Police said Allwood has been accused of stabbing the same man twice. The first incident was reported at the intersection of Iranistan Avenue and State Street on Feb. 10. The second was reported last Wednesday on Hanover Street about two hours before Allwood was apprehended. The victim, a Bridgeport resident, suffered serious injuries during both attacks, police said, declining to release the motive for the alleged assaults. According to police, Allwood calls himself 'Hot Head' and used an alias when he was shot on Gregory Street on Easter morning. He was identified with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. Authorities found that he had multiple warrants out for his arrest and conducted a two-hour manhunt for him, which led authorities to a home on Gregory Street where they saw a woman who was allegedly being held captive run from the home. Police said Allwood was armed with a knife as he chased the woman, who was not injured. Authorities were preparing to enter the home in search of Allwood and said they were not aware that he had a woman hostage. Police were able to wrestle away the knife from Allwood, who has been in custody since. He was arrested on charges of first-degree kidnapping, second-degree assault, carrying a dangerous weapon, first-degree unlawful restraint, second-degree threatening, assault on a public safety officer and possession of narcotics with intent to sell. Allwood has several extraditable felony warrants from numerous states, including one charging him with attempted murder out of New York, according to police. He also has a federal warrant issued by the U.S. Marshals Service charging him with felon in possession of a weapon and is wanted by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency's New York Field Office Allwood was also charged with four counts of being a fugitive from justice, police said.