Federal gun charges have been dismissed against a Connecticut man also facing state charges in the murders of his mother and father is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.
Kyle Navin, 27, of Bridgeport, appeared in court in Fairfield Wednesday for a pre-trial hearing answering to state charges of murdering his parents. He was arrested five days after authorities uncovered the remains of his parents, Jeffrey and Jeanette Navin, of Easton, who had been missing for more than two months.
Before Navin was arrested on the state murder charges, he was being held for a federal arrest on a separate weapons violation and he was locked up in federal prison. But the federal charges have since been dismissed without prejudice because prosecutors are deferring to the state murder prosecution, according to the U.S. attorney's office.
The bodies of Navin's parents were found in the yard of a vacant home in neighboring Weston, which their son had visited before, the property owner told police. The couple had been missing since Aug. 4.
Jeffrey Navin, 56, was president of J&J Refuse in Westport, while Jeannette Navin, 55, was a school aide in Weston.
Kyle Navin is accused of shooting his mother inside his truck and shooting his father in the basement of the Bridgeport home his parents bought him.
Police said they found the couple's blood in both places.
On Aug. 20, police received an anonymous tip that Kyle Navin had been thrown out of a back-pain treatment program because he was using heroin, which police confirmed with the pain clinic, according to the warrant for Kyle Navin's arrest.
A confidential witness later told investigators Kyle Navin had been buying $140 worth of heroin a day, and between $300 and $600 a day in the weeks prior.
Police have said they believe Kyle Navin killed his parents for money. A few days before she vanished, his mother told a friend the couple planned to cut Kyle Navin out of their will, sell their trash-hauling business and leave their son without any financial support from the family, according to an affidavit from police.
Jeanette Navin told a longtime acquaintance her relationship with her son had been "very tempestuous" and she suspected Kyle Navin of abusing drugs, according to the affidavit. She also confided that she and her husband had bought Kyle Navin a house, but he was failing to pay the mortgage and taxes.
Months prior, in May, Kyle Navin allegedly discussed his intentions in text messages with his girlfriend, who has also been charged in connection with the case. According to the warrant for his arrest, Kyle Navin said they needed to "figure out the best way to take (his parents) down whether it is get some money out of them somehow (expletive) him at the business the house something."
Then, in July, he mentioned a plan to "solve every single problem and give us a wealthy amazing life," according to the warrant. Later in the conversation, he allegedly wrote, "Wipe out the infection and get $ for life. It's perfect plan."
Kyle Navin's text messages also came into play the day his parents disappeared. According to police, Jeffrey Navin texted his son Aug. 4 – right before he vanished – saying he would not go home until he knew his wife was OK. He also allegedly asked if Kyle Navin hurt his mother.
"No absolutely not. Why would you think," Kyle Navin responded, according to the affidavit.
"I go home and get framed for murder," Jeffrey Navin replied.
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"Oh stop," Kyle Navin texted back.
Soon after the exchange, the couple's cellphones went inactive. Five days later, authorities found their pickup truck with a shattered window in a Westport commuter lot.
Police interviewed the couple's younger son, Taylor, as part of the investigation. When they told him Kyle Navin was a person of interest, Taylor Navin, who lives in Mississippi, allegedly responded, "When I heard my parents were missing I thought to myself, 'They either went on vacation, or my brother did something to them,'" according to the warrant.
Kyle Navin is being held in custody on a $2.5 million bond.
His attorney, Eugene Riccio, previously asked the public to reserve judgment until all the facts are known.
Kyle Navin has pleaded not guilty to the separate charge of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance.
He hasn't pleaded yet on the murder charges.
His girlfriend, Jennifer Valiante, next appears in court Jan. 12 in Fairfield. She is facing conspiracy to commit murder and hindering prosecution and denied involvement in the couple's death, pleading not guilty. Valiante is being held on $2 million.
Read the full warrant for Valiante's arrest.
