Peter Manfredonia Receives 55-Year Prison Term for Murder and Kidnapping
A 26-year-old man, Peter Manfredonia, has been sentenced to 55 years in prison following a series of violent crimes in Eastern Connecticut, which included a deadly sword attack and the murder of a former schoolmate.
In February, Manfredonia pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including murder and kidnapping, in connection with the shooting death of 23-year-old Nicholas Eisele and the abduction of Eisele’s girlfriend. During the hearing at Milford Superior Court, Eisele’s family and friends wore T-shirts adorned with his image and the message, “As long as I breathe you’ll be remembered. Justice for Nick.”
Manfredonia expressed deep remorse in court: “There are no words that can possibly atone for what I have done. My actions were nothing short of reprehensible. What I did was inexcusably horrendous, and I will regret it every day for the rest of my life.”
He also faces sentencing for a separate incident involving a sword attack that resulted in the death of 62-year-old Ted DeMers and left an 80-year-old man severely injured. This attack took place in Willington, Connecticut, on May 22, 2020. The motive for this violence remains unclear; however, an acquaintance of Manfredonia had recently distanced herself from him.
After the sword incident, Manfredonia reportedly broke into another residence in Willington, holding the occupant hostage for approximately 24 hours. The victim recounted that Manfredonia had stated he “just flipped.”
Two days later, he travelled to Derby, Connecticut, where he fatally shot Eisele before forcibly taking his girlfriend and fleeing the state, prompting a six-day multistate manhunt.
After releasing the kidnapped woman near Columbia, New Jersey, Manfredonia was traced to Pennsylvania, where he was seen taking an Uber to a Walmart in East Stroudsburg. Despite extensive searches, he initially managed to evade capture. Later, he was spotted near Scranton, which prompted further search efforts.
Authorities believe he stole a vehicle and abandoned it in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, before taking another Uber to Hagerstown, Maryland, where he was apprehended without incident close to a truck stop. Manfredonia is expected to be sentenced for the sword attack on Thursday.
