HARTFORD, Conn. _ Peter Manfredonia, the University of Connecticut senior suspected of killing two people and kidnapping a third before fleeing the state, took an Uber to a Walmart in Pennsylvania and was last seen walking down railroad tracks behind the store, Pennsylvania state police said Tuesday.
The manhunt for Manfredonia, who police say is armed with shot guns and a pistol he stole during a Willington, Conn., home invasion, continued near the Poconos on Tuesday, with Pennsylvania State Police warning Uber and Lyft drivers that "he may attempt to solicit ride-sharing services, possibly through third-party means, to flee the area."
Law enforcement officials said he may also seek refuge in wooded areas, a hotel or motel, or an abandoned building. They added that they are searching for a stolen Black Hyundai Santa Fe with Pennsylvania registration KYW-1650. Police emphasized they cannot confirm Manfredonia stole it, but it was taken from the area where he was last seen.
Manfredonia was last seen Sunday evening walking along railroad tracks in the East Stroudsburg area. He was carrying a large duffel bag.
Manfredonia, who is 23 and grew up in Newtown, has struggled with mental health issues for years, said Michael Dolan, a lawyer for for Manfredonia's family. Manfredonia grew up on the same Newtown Street as Adam Lanza, the shooter in the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre.
"They believe that he will surrender peacefully if and when he is confronted by police officers," Dolan said.
Connecticut State Police released an official timeline of the killings and manhunt at a news briefing late Tuesday afternoon but would not take any questions regarding the case. Instead, Lt. John Aiello issued a message directly to Manfredonia through the live television cameras.
"Peter, I want you to know that we are continuing our investigation," Aiello said. "The one thing we are missing right now is you. We want you to be able to tell your story. We are here to listen to you.
"Your parents, your friends, all of us back here in Connecticut want a peaceful end to this," he continued. "Your family has hired an attorney on your behalf and your rights will be safeguarded ... Please call 911, let us know where you are, we want to resolve this in a safe way. Please call us, we are waiting here to listen to you."
The rampage began Friday morning in Willington, where Connecticut State Police suspect Manfredonia killed one local man and seriously injured a second. He later broke into a third Willington resident's home, held the man against his will for more than 24 hours, and stole food, guns and a truck before driving to Derby, where police suspect he killed a 23-year-old and kidnapped the man's girlfriend, who has since been found uninjured.
Both cases have been ruled homicides by the medical examiner.
Police sources said Manfredonia apparently came to Willington to visit a woman on Mirtl Road.
Ted DeMers, 62, offered Manfredonia a ride on his four-wheeler after he saw the young man walking on the Mirtl Road toward the young woman's house, said Cynthia DeMers, Ted DeMers' wife. She said she has since heard that Manfredonia, who was wearing a helmet, had told her husband that his motorcycle had broken down.
Minutes later Manfredonia allegedly attacked DeMers' husband and another man with a machete or sword, police said. When she arrived, DeMers said the scene "looked like a war zone."
"He was a mess," she said of her husband. "He got really brutally attacked."
One of her husband's arms was severed, DeMers said. At first, she did not know it was her husband's, because the limb was lying next to another older man, she said.
The older man, who was on the ground about 10 feet from her husband, was badly cut, especially on his hands, and could only ask, "What happened?" she said. He had come out to help Ted DeMers when he heard the fight outside his home, Cynthia DeMers said. That man has not been identified publicly but was in stable condition Tuesday, according to state police.
"He came out to help his neighbor ... he got caught in the wrong place at the wrong time," she said.
After attacking the two men, state police believe Manfredonia then committed the home invasion and drove the 73-year-old homeowner's truck to Derby, where police suspect he killed Nicholas Eisele, 23, an acquaintance who also grew up in Newtown. Eisele died of a gunshot wound to the head, according to the state medical examiner's office.
Police found the second homicide scene after they discovered the home invasion suspect's crashed truck Sunday morning near Osborndale State Park in Derby, state police said. Manfredonia then went to Eisele's house on Roosevelt Drive. After killing Eisele, police said, Manfredonia kidnapped Eisele's girlfriend and headed south in the woman's black Volkswagon Jetta on Saturday morning.
The stolen car and uninjured woman were found at a truck stop along I-80 in Columbia, N.J., about 7 miles from the Pennsylvania border, New Jersey state police Trooper Alejandro Goez said. The woman told police Manfredonia abducted her. She was otherwise OK and is back in Connecticut. Her name has not been released.
Pennsylvania State Police said Tuesday that the woman had escaped, although they didn't elaborate. Once New Jersey State Police talked to her and recovered her stolen Volkswagen, troopers learned more information about where Manfredonia went.
They said they learned Manfredonia was dropped off Sunday by an Uber driver in front of a Walmart store in the East Stroudsburg, Pa. Through interviews with the driver and security camera footage, they determined that he walked behind the Walmart and other businesses to the railroad tracks, which head northwest toward Scranton in Lackawanna County.
Police in Lackawanna County have warned residents to be on the lookout for Manfredonia. He was last seen carrying a large duffle bag police believe contains the guns stolen from the Willington home invasion.
Dolan, the Manfredonia family lawyer, urged the young man to turn himself in.
"Let me begin by expressing their condolences to the families and loved ones of those who have been injured and who have suffered over the past several days by he events that have led to Peter's flight," Hamden lawyer Michael Dolan told reporters outside his office Monday evening.
"Now Peter, if you are listening, you are loved," Dolan said. "Your parents, your sisters, your entire family loves you. Nobody wants any harm to come to you. It is time to let the healing process begin. It is time to surrender. ... Please turn yourself in."
Dolan said Manfredonia has been treated for mental illness in the past.
"You won't be surprised to hear that Peter has struggled with mental health issues over the past several years," Dolan said. "He sought the help of a number of therapists, and he has had the help of his parents and loved ones to help him through those struggles."
The brutal attacks in Willington shocked the region and the nearby UConn community, where Manfredonia is a senior in a select program studying engineering and business.
Dolan said Manfredonia graduated from Newtown High School, was an honor student and was a football player who received all-league honors.
Dolan said that Manfredonia's mother talked with her son on Thursday of last week. Dolan said that his parents were aware that Manfredonia had had previous mental health issues but that he had never been violent before.
Robert Manfredonia, Peter Manfredonia's father, was arrested in April on second-degree sexual assault charges and risk of injury to a minor charges and is currently out on a $50,000 bond.
Following the Sandy Hook massacre Manfredonia raised money for Sandy Hook Promise, one of the nonprofits that was started by victims of the Lanza massacre.
Connecticut State Police would not answer any questions about the case, including where police have searched for evidence or what they have found or who they have spoken to, Trooper Christine Jeltema said Tuesday. She also urged the public to rely only on official posts from law enforcement agencies for updates to avoid circulating misinformation or rumors.
"In light of transparency, we would love to provide you with every detail, but again this is an ongoing, extremely active and fluid case," Jeltema said. "We are asking the public to be mindful of their social media. We have observed a great deal of misinformation, which could also be counterproductive to this investigation."
Jeltema asked anyone with information about Manfredonia or the cases contact the FBI tip line at (203) 503-5555.
