A high-profile homicide that has captivated the rustic town of Ellington for four years now remains in the spotlight.
Attorneys continue to battle back and forth with dueling motions in the case, which has not gone to trial.
It was four years ago this month that 39-year-old mother Connie Dabate was found shot in her home.
Her husband Richard told investigators an armed intruder attacked him and killed his wife before fleeing.
State Police said they found enough evidence to charge Dabate with his wife’s death. He remains free on bond.
Michelle Ishler of Ellington told NBC Connecticut “I feel the court systems are a little slow. I feel the families deserve answers.”
Court motions have delayed the case.
Right now, Richard Dabate and his legal team have been trying to suppress evidence, in particular:
- portions of what he said to investigators at the hospital right after the incident, claiming he was not read his Miranda rights
- a set of State Police K9 tracks that all lead to Richard Dabate
- evidence from Connie Dabate’s Fitbit that contradicted Richard’s account of the alleged attack on him and his wife
Longtime defense attorney Brian Woolf, who is not involved in this case, told NBC Connecticut that Dabate’s attorneys could make the case that police K9s and Fitbits may not always provide accurate evidence.
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He disagrees that Richard Dabate should have been read his Miranda rights in a situation where he had not been detained by investigators.
“I think it’s a weak statement, respectfully, because I have a lot of respect for these two attorneys. He wasn’t under arrest, he wasn’t in custody, they didn’t have to read him his Miranda warnings and he has the right to remain silent.”
We reached out to both the prosecution and the defense in this case for comment, but have not heard back.
