A University of Connecticut student who is accused of killing two people is being held on $7 million bond for one of the murders and for a home invasion, a judge ruled Friday.
Peter Manfredonia, 23, who allegedly killed a man with a machete and fatally shot a high school acquaintance days later, appeared by video Friday wearing a face mask in Rockville Superior Court in Connecticut for the alleged murder of Theodore DeMers, 62.
State attorney Matthew Gedansky asked for the judge to set bail at $7 million arguing that Manfredonia was a threat to the community having allegedly committed a home invasion when he was on the run from the police.
“He committed the home invasion while he was avoiding detection on the murder offense,” Gedansky said. “He then fled the jurisdiction and had to be extradited.”
“He did not turn himself in contrary to some media reports. There was an extensive effort on the part of the defendant to avoid detection,” Gedansky added.
Manfredonia allegedly killed DeMers and wounded good Samaritan and 80-year-old navy vet John Franco who tried to save DeMers during the May 22 attack in Willington.
Two days later, Manfredonia is accused of shooting Nicholas Eisele, 23, in Derby, Connecticut before going on the lam for six days and eventually getting arrested in Maryland on May 27.
Gedansky said it was only with a large search effort that they were finally able to track Manfredonia down.
“If not for that, I’m not sure when we would have found him,” Gedansky said.
Further details of the home invasion were not available as the arrest warrant for that incident was still sealed, according to a court representative.
Manfredonia’ criminal defense attorney Michael Dolan asked for just $2 million bail noting that his family wouldn’t be able to afford the much higher amount that Gedansky was seeking. Dolan also noted that Manfredonia has no prior criminal record.
Rockville Superior Court Judge Hope Seeley sided with Gedansky on bail.
“These are extremely serious charges and serious circumstances that have occurred as alleged in the arrest warrant,” Seeley said. “The state’s case is very strong.”
Dolan asked that the judge recommend suicide and mental health watch for Manfredonia while he’s in custody, which she agreed to.
Manfredonia — who was slapped with charges of murder, assault, home invasion, kidnapping and related crimes — is also expected to face separate charges in Eisele’s murder, state police said, according to CBS.
“Our hope is that the developments that will be provided today will give the families and communities impacted some kind of closure,” Trooper Josue Dorelus said a press conference early Friday, CBS reported.