City of Groton police have arrested a man in connection to the murder of a woman whose remains were found near a cemetery last month.
During a news conference, Police Chief David Burton said they have identified the woman who died as 58-year-old Suzanne Wormser.
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WATCH HEREPolice initially asked the public for help identifying the remains, and they provided a detailed description of the victim.
Investigators identified Donald Coffel, of Groton, as a suspect and he was arrested on Friday.
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SIGN UP The police department said they initially responded to a cemetery on Allen Street in March after human remains were found there.
In the days and weeks that followed, police established a tip line and contacted several nearby police departments to see if incidents in their town could be connected.
The City of Groton Police Department determined that the incident was not connected to any other missing person cases, and said Wormser and Coffel knew each other.
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Officers spent hours on Allen Street on April 17 and 18. Investigators in hazmat suits were seen going in and out of an apartment during the operation.
Police said they found some "unusual" items during their search, but did not say what those items were. The items were sent to a lab for analysis.
Authorities said Coffel was identified as a person of interest following the search. Investigators interviewed him and confirmed that the Allen Street search and discovery of human remains were connected.
A few days later, a person came forward with more information and police interviewed Coffel again. He later confessed to murder, according to police.
Coffel is facing charges including murder, tampering with physical evidence and improper disposal of a body.
Police said Wormser and Coffel lived together. Coffel is being held on a $1 million bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.
The New London State's Attorney's Office, Connecticut State Police, FBI, task force officers, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, and more are assisting with the investigation.
During the news conference, officials debunked rumors about a possible serial killer in the area. They said the "fear mongering" on social media has made the city seem unsafe, and stated the rumors are untrue.
"I'm here to assure you that the city of Groton is among the safest cities in the state," Burton said.
