Defrosting Cold Cases

John Heath’s murder trial has been delayed until March 20, 2013. The CT Post writes “John Heath, the Newtown man who was charged last year with his wife’s decades-old murder, had his trial at Danbury Superior Court continued to March 20, according to the city’s state’s attorney’s office.  His attorney, Frank O’Reilly, previously derided the prosecution’s case [...]

The Connecticut Appellate Court ordered a new trial for Richard Lapointe! From the Hartford Courant: “In a stunning decision, the state Appellate Court Monday ordered a new trial for Richard Lapointe, a mentally disabled dishwasher convicted of a murder a quarter century ago, concluding that state prosecutors wrongly withheld a police report that tends to [...]

Judge Blawie ruled there is probable cause to try John Heath for the 1984 murder of his wife Elizabeth Heath. John Heath had reported Elizabeth missing on April 6, 1984. Heath’s family had Elizabeth declared dead in 1991. Elizabeth’s remains were found two years ago during a home renovation by new owners of the property at 89 [...]

Update in the trial re Elizabeth Heath: John Heath will stand trial in his wife’s death. To follow the court case in Elizabeth Heath‘s trial you need these details: Court: Danbury GA 3 and JD The docket number: DBD -CR12-0143924-S Next Court Date: 7/12/2012 10:00 AM Dr. H. Wayne Carver, the chief state medical examiner, was in charge of [...]

Great news: “The Appellate Court is scheduled to hear arguments Friday [today] in the appeal of 66-year-old Richard Lapointe, who was convicted of murdering Bernice Martin and sentenced to life in prison. Lapointe insists that DNA evidence shows he’s innocent and that his former lawyers were ineffective.” On March 8, 1987, fire fighters were called [...]

More details have appeared in the Hartford Courant about Elizabeth Heath‘s violent death. Dr. H. Wayne Carver, the chief state medical examiner, was in charge of Elizabeth’s autopsy. It was not easy for him. Elizabeth’s remains covered 188 separate envelopes. “Gough Heath’s maxilla — the upper jaw — had been traumatically amputated from the skull, the [...]

Police have arrested John Heath for murder in connection with the killing of his wife, Elizabeth Gough Heath, 28 years ago. Elizabeth was reported missing in 1984. Her skeletal remains were found beneath the subflooring in a barn in April 2010. Heath, 68, of Bridgewater was arrested by warrant last Monday. He was charged with murder and [...]

The Hartford Courant reported what I had feared since last year: Richard Lapointe’s Habeas Petition was denied. “Superior Court Judge John J. Nazzaro, in a 51-page ruling issued late Friday, turned back arguments that prosecutors had withheld material evidence, that Lapointe’s trial and appellate lawyers were incompetent, and that new evidence proved Lapointe was innocent. [...]

The Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner has officially confirmed what the Newtown and state police have been saying all along: Elizabeth Gough Heath‘s death was a homicide! Heath’s death was caused by “blunt traumatic head injury by a forceful blow to the head” a spokeswoman for the office said Wednesday afternoon. She was unable [...]

Nearly three weeks since Elizabeth Heath’s remains were found, the medical examiner still has not identified the cause of death, police said. “They’re still doing forensic testing,” Police Chief Michael Kehoe said of staff at the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Kehoe said the medical examiner’s office has more work to do before [...]