By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo
Investigations Editor
HARTFORD >> The state Appellate Court heard arguments Wednesday on whether two family members of missing man William "Billy" Smolinski Jr. should have to pay a $52,666 judgment to Smolinski’s former girlfriend.
Superior Court Judge Thomas Corradino in 2012 awarded $52,666 in damages to Madeleine Gleason of Woodbridge, who had dated Smolinski until they broke up just before his 2004 disappearance.
Gleason sued his mother, Janice Smolinski of Cheshire, and sister, Paula Bell, in 2006, claiming they harassed, defamed and falsely accused her of involvement in his disappearance. Corradino’s award included $32,000 for intentional infliction of emotional distress, $7,500 for defamation and $13,166 in punitive damages.
The Smolinski family appealed Corradino’s ruling to the state Appellate Court, and attorneys for both sides presented their arguments Wednesday. A decision is expected to take several months.

Read the full story here. 

By Evan Lips
Register Staff

BRANFORD >> Weeks after Crouch Road resident John Deveau, 61, was declared missing, court records show police arrested a man who lives next door after he allegedly broke into Deveau’s house and stole his prescription painkillers.
But police say the man they arrested in the theft of the painkillers, Thomas Chester Malinka, 43, who resides in a small house at 33 Crouch Road, Unit D, is not considered a suspect in Deveau’s disappearance.
Malinka was arrested June 10 and charged with burglary, larceny, possession of narcotics and use and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $500,000.
Adding to the mystery, Deveau went missing in the spring after he reported being the victim of an ATM larceny.

Read more here.

Hanson

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo
Investigations Editor
DERBY — On what would have been missing man William “Billy” Smolinski’s 40th birthday Monday, a man accused of lying to police about the location of his body pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 4½ years in prison.
Chad Hanson, 33, of Seymour pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement concerning injury or death in Superior Court.
Hanson was arrested after he led state police to conduct an unsuccessful 10-day search in Oxford, near Prokop Road and Woodruff Hill Road, for Smolinski’s body in October 2011.
Hanson has also given information to police that led to unsuccessful searches in Seymour in 2008 and in the Naugatuck State Forest in 2010.

Read more here.

Hanson

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo
Investigations Editor
mtuccitto@nhregister.com
DERBY — A man accused of lying to police about the location of missing man William “Billy” Smolinski’s body swore and threw a tantrum in Superior Court Wednesday, after he learned a plea bargain offer was for more prison time than he had anticipated.

Read more here.

 

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo

Investigations Editor
DERBY — The state wants Chad Hanson, who has led police to conduct unsuccessful searches for the body of William “Billy” Smolinski Jr. of Waterbury, to reimburse the cost.

Meanwhile, the Smolinski family is planning to appeal a recent civil ruling against them, and they have set up a legal defense fund.

Read more here.

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo

Investigations Editor

mtuccitto@nhregister.com

NEW HAVEN — A judge on Friday awarded $52,666 in damages to Madeleine Gleason, the former girlfriend of missing man William “Billy” Smolinski who sued his family members, claiming they harassed her, defamed her and falsely accused her of involvement in his disappearance.

Superior Court Judge Thomas Corradino, in a 34 page ruling issued late Friday, awarded $32,000 to Gleason for intentional infliction of emotional distress, $7,500 for defamation, plus $13,166 in punitive damages.

Read more and see the ruling  here.