Manfredonia Pleads Not Guilty to Murder And Other Felony Charges

VERNON, CT — Peter Manfredonia, who led authorities on a 6-day manhunt through five states following a pair of killings in Connecticut over Memorial Day weekend, pleaded not guilty to a litany of charges in Rockville Superior Court Wednesday.

Manfredonia, 23, a student at the University of Connecticut, appeared before Judge Hope Seeley via video teleconference. He pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, criminal attempt to commit murder, home invasion, first-degree assault, first-degree kidnapping with a firearm, first-degree robbery, first-degree larceny, third-degree assault on an elderly victim and two counts of stealing a firearm.

Manfredonia waived his right to a probable cause hearing, and elected to have a jury trial. His case was continued to Oct. 2.

On May 22, Willington resident Theodore DeMers, 62, was killed and an 80-year-old neighbor was seriously wounded by a man wielding a samurai sword. The next day, another Willington resident was taken hostage in his basement by a man he has identified as Manfredonia, who held him for about 24 hours before leaving the following morning in the victim's truck, according to an affidavit supporting Manfredonia's arrest.

Later that morning, a high school acquaintance of Manfredonia, Nicholas Eisele, 23, was fatally shot in the head in his Derby home. Following the slaying, police believe Manfredonia forced Eisele’s girlfriend into her car and fled the state. The woman and car were later found abandoned on a New Jersey highway.

Manfredonia eluded authorities for six days before being taken into custody in Hagerstown, Maryland on May 27. He was extradited back to Connecticut two weeks later.