Newtown Police Beef Up Patrols During Hunt For Murder Suspect

NEWTOWN, CT — Local police have taken a special interest in the search for a University of Connecticut student who is the primary suspect in a murder in Willington.

Peter Manfredonia is described as "armed and dangerous" by Connecticut State Police.

"The suspect has very strong ties to Newtown and with the recent sightings of Peter in Derby in the Route 34 area, we want our residents and those around to be aware of this very dangerous individual," Newtown police officials said.

The Newtown Police Department has stepped up patrols and increased manpower in the town, out of an abundance of caution.

"While no immediate danger exist the potential is here and we have addressed it by bringing in extra manpower to patrol and protect our residents," police posted on social media.

Manfredonia is a suspect in two deaths, Theodore Demers, 62, of Willington on Friday and Nicholas J. Eisele, 23, of Derby, on Sunday, State police said. He is also accused of committing a home invasion in Willington on Sunday and abducting a person from Eisele's Derby home on Sunday, State police said.

The suspect was last spotted in East Stroudsburg, PA, on foot Sunday night. There have been no new updates concerning where Manfredonia may be now.

The 23-year-old Manfredonia is described as a 6'3" white male, with disheveled, black hair, brown eyes, and weighs approximately 240 pounds. He was last seen wearing a gray t-shirt, gray sweatpants, and carrying some type of bag.