A man identified as Nicholas Legienza, 39, was arrested in connection to a murder in New Britain on Wednesday.
A 71-year-old woman was found dead in her New Britain home. The victim, Lauren Gualano, was found dead on March 2.
An arrest warrant says that officers had responded to a welfare check at Gualano's home after she missed a scheduled therapy appointment. Concerns were raised by her therapist regarding her safety, citing a history of issues between Gualano and her son, Legienza, the warrant states.
Police reported that Legienza, known to have struggled with alcohol abuse and associated violence, shared the residence with Gualano.
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According to official documents, Legienza's wife, who was not living with him at the time due to concerns of violence, recounted instances of physical abuse, including a concussion and spinal cord damage. Because of his aggressive behavior, she used to sleep with a knife under her pillow for protection, the warrant states.
Prior to Gualano's death, friends and family expressed concerning changes in her physical health, noting she had lost considerable weight and was barely eating. There were strong suspicions that Legienza was abusing her again, according to the warrant.
The victim had feared for her safety for several years because of his behavior. According to documents, Legienza would allegedly force the victim to take him to the liquor store every morning to purchase alcohol.
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An autopsy indicated that Gualano's death occurred on Feb. 25, but her her body wasn't discovered until March 1, according to officials.
Cell phone records show Legienza was looking for a way to flee the state after the woman’s death – but he claimed it was because he “bumped on some cop” and needed to get away, the warrant reads.
Legienza was arrested on Wednesday, and he faces a murder charge in connection with Gualano's death. He is currently held on a $1 million bond and is scheduled to appear in court on April 24.
Legienza has a history of previous arrests related to assaults and other misdemeanors.
