A 70-year-old Burlington woman is accused of killing her husband, an 84-year-old doctor, and police said he could have been killed anytime between June 2017 and Feb. 5.
Linda L. Kosuda-Bigazzi, 70, was arrested on Friday, days after her husband, Dr. Pierluigi Bigazzi, a faculty member of UConn’s School of Medicine, was found dead in their home on Smith Lane.
The investigation began when police responded to the home Monday, Feb. 5 for a well-being check after officials from UConn contacted authorities when they failed to hear from him about an administrative matter. Emergency responders who went to the home found Bigazzi dead.
Last Tuesday, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) ruled Pierluigi Bigazzi death a homicide, caused by blunt-force trauma.
After developing probable cause, state police obtained an arrest warrant for Linda Kosuda-Bigazzi and arrested her Friday. She has been charged with murder and tampering with evidence. Her bond was set at $1.5 million.
Court paperwork said Pierluigi Bigazzi could have been killed anytime between June 13, 2017 and Feb. 5, 2018.
State police said they want to speak with anyone who had direct contact with Pierluigi Bigazzi between July 2017 and February 2018 and/or any contractors who performed work at 70 Smith Lane during that same time frame.
They are urged to contact detectives at (860) 626-7922.
Pierluigi Bigazzi was a faculty member at the medical school for more than 40 years. He's an internist by training and he specialized in immunology research. He also was a past educator of medical students about pathology and oncology. Most recently, he was tasked with preparing online educational material to supplement student textbooks, UConn officials told NBC Connecticut.
UConn officials said Pierluigi Bigazzi last taught in the classroom in Spring 2017 and keycard access records indicate he was last on campus in August. The work he was doing could be done from anywhere, including remotely, so his absence from campus would not be a concern.
At her arraignment Tuesday, a judge ordered house arrest and GPS monitoring for Kosuda-Bigazzi. She will also not be allowed to have a passport.
Staff from UConn Health last tried to contact him in January about a routine administrative matter but did not hear back.
“As of February 5 they had still received no response. Out of concern for his well-being, his department head alerted UConn Police, who went to Dr. Bigazzi’s home in Burlington, Connecticut to conduct a welfare check. The UConn officer knocked on the door and initially received no answer. The UConn officer was joined by a Burlington officer and a state trooper. Officers knocked on the door again and made contact with Linda Kosuda-Bigazzi, who initially denied them entry. Officers were later able to enter the home and found Dr. Bigazzi’s remains,” according to a statement from UConn.
She walked away from Bristol Superior Court in silence.
The arrest warrant is sealed and will remain so until Kosuda-Bigazzi goes back to court.
Her next court appearance will be March 20.
