UConn senior, Peter Manfredonia (pictured), who is suspected of killing two men reportedly wrote disturbing messages on his apartment room wall about ‘snapping’ like Sandy Hook shooter Adam Lanza
The University of Connecticut senior who is suspected of killing two men and kidnapping a young woman, which sparked a five-day, multi-state manhunt that led to his capture in Maryland on Wednesday, reportedly wrote disturbing messages on his apartment walls about ‘snapping’ like Sandy Hook shooter Adam Lanza.
Peter Manfredonia, 23, was finally located in Hagerstown, Maryland on Wednesday, Connecticut State Police said.
Manfredonia was arrested near the Pilot Travel Center gas station and taken into custody without injury. No officers were injured during the arrest.
While authorities were searching for Manfredonia, photos that were taken in July 2019 made their rounds on social media.
The images show messages scrawled on the walls and door of a room that Manfredonia reportedly lived in last year.
‘I’m not angry… I’m upset,’ is seen written over a door. The image then shows a series of questions: ‘Is this bad? Will I get in trouble? Will they look at me strange?’
Another reads: ‘Problems and fears are the only two things that need to be confronted!!!!!’
Manfredonia compared himself to Lanza, who in 2012 shot and killed 26 people: 20 children between six and seven years old and six adult staff members.
While authorities were searching for Manfredonia, photos (above) that were taken in July 2019 made their rounds on social media
Manfredonia also compared himself (pictured) to Lanza, who in 2012 shot and killed 26 people: 20 children between six and seven years old and six adult staff members
‘We saw what happened when Adam (right, in 2005) snapped,’ one message reads. ‘Now they see what happens when I snap,’ Manfredonia (left) wrote
The South Passaic Daily Voice reported that Manfredonia made the comparison in messages that were found inside a room where he stayed while attending the University of Connecticut.
‘We saw what happened when Adam snapped,’ one message reads. ‘Now they see what happens when I snap,’ another message continued.
Authorities have not publicly confirmed that the images were taken inside Manfredonia’s accommodation. A DailyMail.com request for comment to the Connecticut State Police was not immediately returned.
Records also show that Manfredonia grew up in Newtown just a few houses away from Lanza.
On Tuesday, Sandy Hook Promise released a statement confirming that Manfredonia participated ‘in an athletic event in 2019 and chose Sandy Hook Promise as one of his fundraising recipients’.
‘We hope he surrenders peacefully to the authorities and that no one else is hurt or killed, the statement read.
After police arrested Manfredonia on Wednesday, officers reportedly searched a wooded area near where he was taken into custody.
Police said they would provide more information about Manfredonia’s capture on Thursday.
Manfredonia was located in Hagerstown, Maryland on Wednesday, Connecticut State Police said. Police had announced earlier on Wednesday that Manfredonia had taken an Uber to Hagerstown after leaving a convenience store (pictured on surveillance) in Pennsylvania
The manhunt for Manfredonia was expanded across four states: Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut. He was captured in Maryland after five days
There are a plethora of crimes involved,’ CBI agent Charles Grady told Hearst Connecticut Media on Wednesday. ‘The federal nexus is the kidnapping.’
Police had renewed pleas multiple times for Manfedonia to turn himself in and his family hired an attorney on his behalf as they begged him to cooperate.
Despite those pleas, Manfredonia continued to flee authorities across multiple states.
‘His family is relieved that Peter has brought this to a peaceful conclusion,’ Michael Dolan, an attorney for Manfredonia’s family said.
Connecticut Gov Ned Lamont praised authorities for their work.
‘Thank you to law enforcement members from the Connecticut State Police and local police departments, as well as those from each of our neighboring states, for their dedicated commitment regarding this matter,’ Lamont said in a statement.
‘We are appreciative of their unified approach to this disturbing situation.’
Manfredonia had been on the run since Friday when cops say he killed his first victim, Ted DeMers, 62, in Willington, Connecticut.
Manfredonia allegedly killed Ted DeMers, 62, in Willington, Connecticut, on Friday. Ted’s wife, Cyndi, said Manfredonia was in their neighborhood looking for a young woman who was considering getting a straining order against him
Police said his second victim came two days later when the body of Nicholas J. Eisele (pictured) was found inside his Derby Connecticut home on Sunday. Police said Manfredonia kidnapped Eisele’s girlfriend and drove to Paterson, New Jersey, where she was found safe
Manfredonia was seen Sunday afternoon walking along railroad tracks in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, wearing dark shorts and carrying a duffel bag
Police said his second victim came two days later when investigators found the body of Nicholas J. Eisele inside his Derby, Connecticut home on Sunday.
From there, police said Manfredonia kidnapped Eisele’s girlfriend and drove to Paterson, New Jersey, where she was found unharmed.
He then fled to Pennsylvania and was seen on Sunday afternoon walking near railroad tracks in East Stroudsburg.
On Wednesday, police revealed that Manfredonia had been spotted at a Sheetz convenience store in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.
Police said they received a tip that Manfredonia was in the area and reviewed surveillance footage that matched the suspected killer’s description.
A stolen Hyundai Santa Fe was also recovered near the Sheetz. Police were unable to confirm on Tuesday if the Hyundai had been stolen by Manfredonia.
According to the statement, the ‘individual in the surveillance images obtained an Uber drive and was driven to Hagerstown, Maryland’.
Police said a black duffel bag believed to be carrying stolen weapons was still in Manfredonia’s possession, adding that he was wearing red sneakers.
Authorities expanded the manhunt for Manfredonia across four states: Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut.
Their search for Manfredonia began on Friday when he is accused of killing DeMers and critically injuring another man with a machete.
On Tuesday, DeMers’ wife, Cyndi, revealed that her husband went to speak with Manfredonia when they saw him walking down the rural road in front of their Willington home wearing a motorcycle helmet.
Manfredonia said that his motorcycle had broken down.
‘He said to my husband, “I know so-and-so,” who is one of our neighbors, which then opened up the door to trusting this person,’ she said.
After giving Manfredonia a ride back to his bike, Ted was killed with a machete, Cyndi said in an interview. Ted’s friend suffered severe wounds.
‘I think he got in the way of what he was going to do,’ she said. ‘He was clearly walking to her home with a mission, with a machete in his backpack.’
Cyndi said she talked with the young woman’s father over the weekend and discovered the family had been considering getting a restraining order against Manfredonia, who had been to the home in the past.
Her neighbors were told by police not to return to their home until he was captured, she said.
Law enforcement had pleaded for Manfredonia to give himself up.
‘Peter we’ve talked to family, we’ve talked to your friends and roommates all of them have said the same thing; that this behavior out of ordinary for you. We know that this is not who you are,’ Lt John Aiello, Commanding Officer of Eastern District HQ said on Tuesday.
‘I want you to know that we are continuing our investigation. The one thing missing right now it you. We want you to tell your story. Your family has hired an attorney on your behalf and are there to safeguard you.
‘We are here to listen to you. Your parents, your friends, all of us back here in Connecticut want a peaceful end to this. We are waiting to hear from you. Please call 911 and let us know where you are. We want to resolve this in a safe way.’
After the first slaying, police said Manfredonia fled the scene and broke into a nearby home where he held the homeowner captive before stealing his guns and a truck.
The truck was later found abandoned near Osbornedale State Park in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Authorities said Manfredonia had driven the truck near Eisele’s home on Sunday.
Manfredonia is suspected of killing Eisele before forcing Eisele’s girlfriend into her car and fleeing to New Jersey with her.
The 23-year-old woman was located in her Volkswagen Jetta near Paterson, New Jersey, on Sunday and was not hurt, police said. Authorities have not named her.
State police described Eisele, who worked with his father in a landscaping business, as an acquaintance of Manfredonia’s.
The medical examiner is conducting an autopsy to determine cause of death.
Manfredonia’s family had also pleaded with him to surrender. Through their lawyer, Mike Dolan, Manfredonia’s parents said: ‘We love you. Please turn yourself in.’
‘You have your parents’ and your sisters’ and your family’s entire support. It is time to let the healing process begin,’ Dolan added.
Dolan said Manfredonia had struggled with mental health issues and ‘sought the help of a number of therapists’.
A motive for the slayings has not been determined.