By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo

Investigations Editor

NEW HAVEN >> Investigators have determined the skeletal remains of a woman found in Vernon do not belong to either Evelyn Frisco or Lisa Calvo, two women who have been missing for years from New Haven.
Police recently collected DNA from family members of both Calvo and Frisco to compare to the Vernon remains.
Police spokesman Officer David Hartman announced Tuesday there was no match.

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The Police Department’s investigations into the disappearances of Frisco and Calvo remain open, he said in a press release.

Read the full Sept. 30 story HERE and check out prior coverage

here and here.

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo
Investigations Editor

It has been more than 10 weeks since two dogs trained to detect cadavers alerted searchers to a location of interest in the case of missing Waterbury man William “Billy” Smolinski Jr.
However, police have not yet done a search of the property, public land in Beacon Falls, to see if Smolinski’s remains are there.
Smolinski’s family members, who have been waiting almost a decade for his body to be found, said this week the delay is “frustrating.”

Read the full story here.

(Peter Casolino — Register file photo) Jan and Bill Smolinski of Cheshire, are still looking for answers in the disappearance of their son, Billy, who has been missing since 2004.

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo
Investigations Editor

HARTFORD >> The state Appellate Court has upheld a judge’s ruling that two family members of missing Waterbury man William “Billy” Smolinski Jr. should have to pay a $52,666 judgment to Smolinski’s former girlfriend.
Madeleine Gleason of Woodbridge, who dated Smolinski until they broke up just prior to his 2004 disappearance, sued his mother, Janice Smolinski of Cheshire, and his sister, Paula Bell, in 2006, claiming they harassed, defamed and falsely accused her of involvement in his disappearance.
Superior Court Judge Thomas Corradino in 2012 awarded $52,666 to Gleason, for intentional infliction of emotional distress, defamation and punitive damages.
This Appellate Court decision upholds Corradino’s award.

Read more here. 

Michelle Garvey/ Contributed photo


By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo
Investigations Editor
Michelle Garvey of New London disappeared in June 1982, just days before her 15th birthday, and police believe she ran away from home.
A month later, her remains were found in an open field in Houston.
But it would be three decades before police positively matched the body found in Texas to Michelle, whose death was ruled a homicide.
Finding out Michelle’s fate was a collaboration of the Connecticut State Police Missing Persons Unit and authorities in Texas. Detectives with the unit got a DNA sample from Michelle’s family to enter into a national database. Texas officials had exhumed the body to get DNA samples. In January, state police announced a match had been made.
The case is just one of the success stories for the Missing Persons Unit. Two years ago, state police indicated they were revamping the unit to include more investigators, with major crime detectives from multiple districts.

Read more here.

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo

Investigations Editor
NEW HAVEN — A city woman who claims police turned her away when she tried to report her son Mutalib “Bobby” Bello missing in May is planning to file a lawsuit over police’s alleged mishandling of the case.
Attorney Anthony Bonadies of Hamden, who is representing Susan Bello, filed a written notice of intent to sue the city this month, claiming the Police Department’s negligence caused his client emotional distress.
Bobby Bello’s body was discovered floating in the West River on May 18, but his remains weren’t identified for another two months.

 

Read more here.