SHELTON, Conn. (Court TV) — A Connecticut courtroom is now the setting for a painful chapter in a community still grieving the loss of 17-year-old James McGrath, a beloved high school junior and lacrosse star who was fatally stabbed during a chaotic night of violence in May 2022.
Raul Valle appears in court on the first day of his trial, June 17, 2025. (Court TV)
Raul Valle, who was 16 at the time and is now 20, is on trial for murder and three counts of assault after a fight between teens from rival schools escalated into a deadly stabbing. Valle has pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors say Valle got into a fight at a house party for St. Joseph’s High School students. After the initial confrontation ended, Valle and a group of friends allegedly drove to a second party about a mile away, where students from Shelton High School were gathered.
Prosecutors say that witnesses will testify that what started as teenage tension exploded into an all-out brawl. Valle allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed four people in the scuffle. Three survived. James McGrath did not.
Valle has rejected two plea deals offering 40 years in prison. If convicted, he faces up to 60 years behind bars.
DAILY TRIAL UPDATES
DAY 12 – 7/8/25
- The jury returned to deliberations.
- The jury sent a note saying it was deadlocked on count 1 and unable to reach a verdict on counts 2, 3 and 4.
- WATCH: Preppy Party Murder Trial: Jury Deadlocked on Murder Charge
- The judge told the jury to continue its deliberations.
- The jury sent a note asking to re-watch portions of Raul Valle’s testimony.
DAY 11 – 7/7/25
- VIDEO: CT v. Raul Valle | Preppy Party Murder Trial Day 11
- The jury finished listening to jury instructions.
- The jury began its deliberations.
- After more than two hours of deliberating, the jury sent a note saying they were “hopelessly deadlocked.” The judge told them to keep deliberating.
DAY 10 – 7/3/25
- VIDEO: CT v. Raul Valle | Preppy Party Murder Trial Day 10
- Prosecutor Marc Durso said Valle was “enraged” about what happened earlier that night, and he armed himself and returned to the scene with the intent to stab someone.
- Defense attorney Kevin Smith told the jury there was “so much stupid running around that night” and his client is the only one in court. Smith also asked the jury to consider the motivations of the other witnesses.
- In their rebuttal argument, Durso reiterated the state’s case that Valle’s actions were retaliatory, not self-defense, when he fatally stabbed McGarth.
DAY 9 – 7/1/25
- VIDEO: CT v. Raul Valle | Preppy Party Murder Trial Day 9
- Raul Valle returned to the stand to continue his testimony on direct.
- Valle described being surrounded by a mob of people and said they hit him all over his body. He said that at one point, he lost consciousness after he was hit in the head.
- Valle said he was scared and took the knife and stabbed without any real direction.
- Valle was extremly emotional while testifying, saying he felt like he couldn’t just leave the scene because he had to go back to help his friend, who was also getting beat up.
- Valle said he lost the knife on the ground when he fell and scraped his hands and denied ever going back to find it.
- Valle fought with his then-girlfriend, who was angry at him over the fights and was texting him that other people were texting her about it.
- Valle decided to travel to Florida with his mother and brother, and returned a few days later.
- When Valle’s parents were contacted by police and an arrest warrant was issued, Valle turned himself in.
- Valle denied wanting to hurt any of the victims, saying he just wanted to “get them away from me.”
- Prosecutors walked Valle through a video of the fight frame by frame as they disputed much of his version of the events.
- After the jury was dismissed for the day, both sides argued for and against a judgment of acquittal. The judge is taking it under consideration until the jury comes back with a verdict.
DAY 8 – 6/30/25
- VIDEO: CT v. Raul Valle | Preppy Party Murder Trial Day 8
- Taylor Capela, James McGrath’s close friend, underwent cross-examination.
- Capela insisted McGrath never had a weapon and never engaged with Valle before being stabbed.
- Was at Tyler Rich’s house with her boyfriend; about 20–25 people there.
- Grew up with many attendees; noted extra people like seniors and recent grads.
- Heard a group from another house was coming after a prior fight.
- Couldn’t recall how many total were present; struggled to identify many names.
- Heard objects being thrown from both sides, but no yelling or threats.
- Jimmy was inside when she went back in; not sure if he came back out.
- Later saw the Honda Pilot outside; didn’t see Jimmy or hear screaming.
- Felt “something bad was going to happen”; told Jimmy to stay out of it.
- Saw Valle behind DaSilva, then saw Valle lunge at Jimmy — didn’t initially see a knife.
- Valle went to the car and came back; Capela insists she saw this firsthand.
- Stands by belief Jimmy wasn’t involved in any fight; “100 percent” confident.
- Identified herself near the truck in the fight video but struggled to ID others due to blurriness.
- Saw Valle walk to car, return, and later lunge at Jimmy with an upward motion.
- Never talked to anyone about what she saw until police approached her a week later.
- Defense suggested she didn’t want to damage Jimmy’s memory.
- Charlie Connery, whose brother Tommy was one of the surviving stabbing victims, witnessed the stabbing and detailed the incident.
- 19 years old, 16 at time of incident; knew Jimmy from childhood sports.
- Described 30 people drinking at Tyler Rich’s house.
- Told Valle and friends to leave before fight began.
- Witnessed Valle get punched by Tyler Rich, then a fight broke out.
- Watched the fight from a distance; aware Valle had a knife.
- Said Jimmy didn’t participate in the fight.
- Yelled “he has a knife!” when he saw Valle with it.
- Valle then turned and stabbed Jimmy in the upper stomach/chest.
- Heard Jimmy say, “I’ve been stabbed,” then collapse.
- Insisted Valle went at Jimmy “with a purpose”; and said Jimmy didn’t have a weapon.
- On cross, Connery said he saw the fight video about 10 times, and met twice with state attorney.
- Couldn’t recall seeing Jimmy in basement; wasn’t sure exactly where he was.
- Said there were two fights happening; kept distance from Valle.
- Didn’t see anyone follow Valle to the car before the stabbing.
- Valle “went straight at Mr. McGrath”; Jimmy was just a bystander.
- The defense made a motion to acquit, and then the prosecution delivered a counter-argument.
- After taking the arguments into consideration, the judge denied the defense’s request.
- Raul Valle took the stand in his own defense.
- WATCH: Preppy Party Murder: Raul Valle Says Jack Snyder ‘Tossed a Knife To Me’
- On direct, Valle’s defense attorney walked him through his childhood and to the day of the incident.
- Claimed he had no intent to fight, said the group was just looking for another party after being kicked out of the first one.
- Portrayed himself as scared and confused, described partygoers surrounding their car, yelling, hitting it, and rocking it, causing him to panic.
- Said he was sprayed in the face with WD-40, claimed this happened before he had a weapon.
- Testified that Jack Snyder tossed him the knife, said he didn’t bring a weapon and was surprised when Snyder gave it to him.
- Admitted keeping the knife in his pocket when he and DaSilva returned to the second house.
- Said 40 people surrounded them outside the second house and that he was blocked from DaSilva by a “wall of people.”
- Denied throwing punches or using the helmet as a weapon during the earlier fight at Lazy Brook Road.
- Claimed he was trying to break up fights, not participate in them, especially in the first altercation involving Heinz and Snyder.
- Described DaSilva and Trafacante as scared and upset, with Trafacante crying in the car during the chaos.
- By the time court was in recess for the day, Valle and his defense attorney were at the point just before the deadly fight began.
DAY 7 – 6/27/25
- VIDEO: CT v. Raul Valle | Preppy Party Murder Trial Day 7
- Tyler DaSilva, best friend of the defendant, testified under a non-prosecution agreement.
- WATCH: Witness: ‘Valle Wasn’t Looking For Anything Peaceful’
- He was 17 at the time of the incident, ending his junior year at St. Joseph High School.
- Said he, Jack Snyder, and the defendant went to a party on Lazy Brook Road with alcohol (including KINKY® liqueur) and picked up friends on the way.
- Described a typical high school party until uninvited guests arrived, leading to a confrontation.
- Recalls Jack Snyder throwing the first punch; DaSilva and others joined the fight, including someone in a motorcycle helmet.
- In the video played in court, the defendant appeared to strike first, contradicting DaSilva’s memory.
- After being kicked out, the group engaged in a hostile group chat planning a second confrontation.
- The defendant reportedly said “slide right now,” interpreted as an invite to fight.
- They drove to a second location on Laurel Glen Drive, where the situation escalated again.
- Upon arrival, their car was surrounded by 30–40 people from the opposing party.
- Profanity and aggression from both sides followed; DaSilva said the defendant was yelling from the car window.
- DaSilva claimed he tried to de-escalate by talking to Shelton kids he knew but was punched and knocked to the ground.
- He never saw Jimmy McGrath during the brawl and described the scene as chaotic and violent.
- After the fight, DaSilva was angry at his friends for trying to drive away without him.
- The defendant asked for a knife during the drive back, though DaSilva didn’t see it and didn’t have one himself.
- Later, he called the defendant and asked if he stabbed someone; the defendant allegedly responded, “I f—ed up, bro. I’m sorry.”
- DaSilva learned one victim might not survive and realized the severity of the situation.
- He then left for Vermont with his cousin on legal advice, stopped at a hospital where he was diagnosed with a concussion and head injuries.
- Mackenzie Trafecante was dating defendant Raul “Lito” Valle at the time of the incident and described May 14, 2022, as “an awful day”; she was 18 and a senior at St. Joseph High School.
- WATCH: Raul Valle’s Ex-Girlfriend Recalls ‘The Worst Night Of My Life’
- She attended a party on Lazy Brook Road with Valle and others after prom; noted underclassmen, drinking, and little interaction with Valle at the party.
- After a fight broke out outside the party, she rode in Jack Snyder’s car with Valle, Tyler DaSilva, and others to Trumbull High, then toward Tyler Rich’s house — against her wishes.
- Trafecante objected multiple times to going to Tyler Rich’s house, texting her sister to come pick her up because she feared a confrontation was coming.
- At Laurel Glen Drive, she hid in the car’s cargo area, hoping not to be seen; she heard loud noises, yelling, and possibly things being thrown at the car.
- She later got out of the car and sat alone on a curb, still trying to leave. She recalled hearing someone mention a knife but didn’t take it seriously at the time.
- Trafecante offered several boys a ride home; three accepted, but Valle and another declined — she said they seemed “hyped up” and then “disappeared.”
- Valle reappeared later and got into her sister’s car without visible injuries; she didn’t speak to him on the ride and was angry he hadn’t stood up for her.
- After getting home, she received texts and Snapchats about a stabbing and messaged Valle directly — he denied involvement, saying “I wasn’t there.”
- She learned Jimmy McGrath had died when police came to her house overnight; became emotional in court recalling the moment her family found out.
- Taylor Capela, longtime friend of Jimmy McGrath, described May 14, 2022, as “probably the worst day” of her life.
- She was a junior at Shelton High at the time (she’s 19 now).
- She attended the party at Tyler Rich’s house with her then-boyfriend and recalled around 20–25 people being there, with alcohol present.
- Saw Jack Snyder’s Honda Pilot arrive; later observed a hostile interaction with people throwing things both from and at the vehicle.
- Back inside, she had an emotional conversation with Jimmy McGrath, who told her how happy he was in his relationship.
- When the Honda Pilot returned, she saw Tyler DaSilva and Lito Valle get out and immediately engage in fighting with Shelton High kids.
- Heard Charlie Connery shout, “he has a knife, he has a knife”, and moments later saw the defendant lunge at Jimmy McGrath.
- Capela testified that Jimmy wasn’t fighting anyone and was just standing and observing before the defendant went “right towards Jimmy.”
- She witnessed the stabbing, describing the defendant’s raised arm motion and seeing blood cover Jimmy’s white shorts.
- Also saw injuries to others including Faison Teele and Tommy Connery, who was bleeding heavily.
- Capela broke down recalling the trauma, said she now suffers from nightmares, anxiety, and has sought therapy to cope with what she witnessed.
DAY 6 – 6/26/25
- VIDEO: CT v. Raul Valle | Preppy Party Murder Trial Day 6
- Jack Snyder, the Honda Pilot driver, testified under an immunity agreement shielding him from prosecution for potential crimes, including accessory to assault or murder
- WATCH: Preppy Party Murder Trial: Day 6 Pivotal Moments
- Snyder acknowledged stealing Ryan Heinz’s beer at the Lazy Brook Road party, triggering the first fight
- Snyder confirmed plans to confront Shelton High kids after being added to a group chat that had originally been used to coordinate pickup basketball games, but on this night had become a toxic trash-talking venue between the rival groups of high school kids
- Snyder described arriving at Tyler Rich’s house on Laurel Glen Drive, where their car was surrounded by about 30 kids from Shelton High School, many of whom were on the football team
- Snyder admitted giving Valle his own black folding tactical knife (a “pocketknife” as he described it, but the attached photo of the same model knife — the actual knife was never recovered — indicated otherwise) from the car’s center console after Valle aggressively asked for it, following their initial flight from the first confrontation on Laurel Glen Drive
- Snyder recounted driving Valle and Tyler DaSilva back to the house where the first confrontation occurred — ostensibly intending to resolve the dispute peacefully (because DaSilva “knew some of their families”), but chaos erupted after Valle was punched, leading to a melee where four people were stabbed, one fatally.
- Snyder testified Valle came back to the car distraught, saying “I think I just stabbed four people,” while holding the knife, recalling Valle threw the knife into the woods as they fled
- Valle, now 20 but 16 at the time, was visibly emotional as Snyder, testifying on the stand, recounted the moments immediately after the quadruple stabbing.
- Under cross, Snyder, who’s now 19 years old but was 16 at the time of the incident, admitted his text “enjoy the hospital” to the now infamous and obviously instigative “basketball group chat” after the stabbing, insisting he didn’t understand the severity of what had occurred.
- The day wrapped with Snyder’s credibility challenged over the timing of his statements, the knife handoff, and deletion of his phone data, but he largely maintained his version of events under pointed questioning by Valle’s attorney, Kevin M. Smith.
DAY 5 – 6/25/25
- VIDEO: CT v. Raul Valle | Preppy Party Murder Trial Day 5
- Ryan Heinz continued his testimony
- Heinz was stabbed during the fight outside Tyler Rich’s house, realizing it only after a friend pointed out the blood soaking through his clothes and he heard a bubbling sound from his collapsing lung, which he described as haunting.
- Heinz identified Raul Valle as the only person he fought that night, testifying that Valle hit him repeatedly and eventually stabbed him while flailing wildly during a chaotic brawl.
- He admitted to punching Valle twice in the face while he was on the ground, and described how others were involved in the altercation, with Tyler Rich initiating the physical confrontation.
- He acknowledged provoking messages in a group chat before the fight, including calling the St. Joe’s group “pussies” and admitting to some inconsistencies in his statements about whether he encouraged them to come to the party.
- Heinz described emotional and physical trauma from the night, stating he still thinks daily about how it unfolded, what could have gone differently, and how he hadn’t known people were capable of such harm.
- Dr. Ryan Scott Doss, attending physician, stated that Ryan Heinz arrived at the ER shortly after midnight with multiple stab wounds to the chest, flank, and thigh, as well as a broken nose and scalp abrasion; he was awake but in discomfort.
- Dr. Doss diagnosed a collapsed left lung (pneumothorax) and explained that the increasing pressure from this type of injury, if untreated, could impair heart function and lead to death.
- Emergency intervention included inserting a chest tube, which allowed Heinz’s lung to re-inflate and drained fluid — a life-saving measure that stabilized his condition.
- Doss confirmed that Heinz’s injuries were serious and potentially fatal, particularly the chest and abdominal wounds due to proximity to vital organs.
- Heinz’s bloodwork showed a low blood alcohol level (.007) and cannabinoids in his system, but Dr. Doss stated neither substance complicated treatment or confirmed recent usage.
- Keenan Fraczek described being trapped and scared in the Honda Pilot when it was surrounded by at least 20 Shelton High students outside the Tyler Rich house party, with people banging on the car, throwing things, and bouncing on the bumper.
- He testified that Raul Valle appeared “on edge” and aggressive, cursing about the damage to Jack Snyder’s car and urgently searching for a knife in the glovebox and console, asking, “Jack, where the f** is your knife?”
- Fraczek did not witness any physical fighting firsthand, but recalled the moment the car drove back down the street and hearing escalating yelling, followed by a “very high-pitched scream”—indicating a shift from verbal to physical violence.
- He testified that Tyler Dasilva returned from the fight battered and nearly unconscious, while Valle looked shocked but not nearly as injured, though he “looked like he was in a fight.”
- Despite intense cross-examination, Fraczek stood by his account of Valle looking for a knife, maintaining consistency in the timeline and tone of events, and reaffirming that Tyler Dasilva had tried to talk Valle out of going back down the street.
- Demetri Arfanis testified that Raul Valle appeared angry and aggressive after inspecting damage to Jack Snyder’s car, and asked Jack for a knife shortly before Valle, Snyder, and Tyler Dasilva drove back toward the scene of the earlier confrontation.
- Arfanis said he chose not to return with them because he didn’t want to be involved with the escalating situation and had no connection to the people at the other party.
- He stated that when the vehicle returned a few minutes later, Tyler Dasilva was badly beaten and bloody, while Valle appeared “fine” and did not seem injured.
- He consistently maintained that he saw Valle ask for a knife and appeared confident during cross-examination, even when pressed about whether he remembered seeing an actual knife (he did not).
- Arfanis described the moment when the Honda Pilot was surrounded by people throwing things and jumping on the car, saying the encounter was frightening and that tensions escalated quickly once Jack Snyder said something back to the crowd.
DAY 4 – 6/24/25
- VIDEO: CT v. Raul Valle | Preppy Party Murder Trial Day 4
- Faison Teele, 17 at the time of the incident, repeatedly answered “I don’t recall” when pressed on many details on cross-examination.
- WATCH: Preppy Party Murder Trial: Survivor Denies Saying Friends ‘Get Crazy’
- Teele confirmed he was present at the Tyler Rich house party and sustained a stab wound to his left arm during the fight involving defendant Raul “Lito” Valle.
- He admitted to kicking someone during the melee in a stomping motion, and acknowledged he was the one who yelled, “let’s go, n****!” at the beginning of the raucous fight video, apparently captured on the cell phone of a bystander.
- Teele described lasting emotional trauma from the night, stating he couldn’t attend church anymore due to learning of Jimmy McGrath’s death there.
- WATCH: Preppy Party Murder Trial: Survivor Says ‘It Was the Worst Day of My Life’
- Thomas Connery testified he was stabbed in the thigh by Valle after stepping into the fight when he thought he was intervening on behalf of his brother – he later realized it was Ryan Heinz. Connery also said he watched as Jimmy McGrath collapsed nearby after being stabbed in the chest.
- Dr. Roselle Crombie told jurors McGrath’s chest wound was not survivable – “Impossible,” she said, “unless it happened in the hospital, and we were right there to crack his chest”.
- Ryan Heinz, who was 16 years old when this all transpired, testified that outside a house on Lazy Brook Road, Jack Snyder took his Bud Light, prompting him to say, “I’ll fight you for my beer”. Heinz, who was apparently outnumbered, recalled feeling “a lot of blows to the back of my head, multiple times, over and over, repeated[ly]”.
- Later that night, Ryan Heinz arrived at Tyler Rich’s house party on Laurel Glen Drive. Heinz acknowledged seeing repeated messages back-and-forth from a group chat that had initially been used to coordinate pickup basketball games, but even before the night of this incident, was known a forum where “people talked a lot of shit.” Heinz, however, denied active participation in any escalatory communications in the flurry of group chat activity before the second, deadly altercation.
- Regarding the deadly brawl, Heinz testified that he confronted Valle, who by this point had returned after being told to leave the first time he and others first showed up at Rich’s house — and that Valle was pacing and asking, “Where’s Aidan King?”. Heinz pulled Valle’s shirt over his head, punched him twice, and was then stabbed. Heinz described Valle attacking him in a sudden burst, stabbing him three times and collapsing his lung; he recalled a “bubbling” sound as he tried to breathe.
- WATCH: Victim: I Thought I Was Gonna Die, I Heard the Bubbles Come From My Chest
DAY 3 – 6/23/25
- VIDEO: CT V. Raul Valle | Preppy Party Murder Trial Day 3
- Tyler Rich, then 17, testified he hosted around 30 teens at his Shelton home on May 14, 2022. Most were from Shelton High, though some older friends (up to age 20) came from other schools. No adults were present; his mother was away on Cape Cod and his father was out.
- Rich said attendees learned Ryan Heinz and Griffin Marcinczyk had been “jumped” earlier that night on Lazy Brook Road. Soon after, a black SUV — identified as a Honda Pilot — pulled up. Several witnesses placed Raul “Lito” Valle in the back seat and Tyler DaSilva in the front. Others were in the vehicle too.
- Rich and others approached the SUV and told them to leave. A bottle was thrown from the vehicle and shattered. Tensions escalated; the SUV was rocked by multiple people before driving off. Rich and Aidan King testified that it circled the block three to four times before returning.
- Valle and DaSilva reappeared on Rich’s front lawn. A confrontation ensued. Rich testified DaSilva shoved him; in response, he punched Valle after seeing Valle wind up as if to hit DaSilva. A scuffle followed. Rich said he did not see a knife during that moment.
- After the scuffle broke up, multiple teens reported injuries. Four were ultimately confirmed stabbed: James McGrath (chest), Ryan Heinz (torso), Tommy Connery (leg), and Faison Teele (arm). McGrath was found unresponsive and bleeding heavily. No witness described seeing the stabbings occur.
- Some witnesses said Valle was holding a knife during or just after the fight. No one else was described as having a weapon. The SUV left the area. Shelton police arrived first and began treating the wounded before medical personnel took over.
- WITNESS: Aidan King
- Close friend of Rich and Teele Faison.
- Had 5–7 beers at the party.
- Saw Raul Valle in the car and heard him threaten to smash a bottle on someone’s head.
- Told car occupants to leave multiple times.
- Saw people placing hands on the car before it sped off.
- Witnessed chaos when the car returned—screaming, people on the ground.
- Saw Tommy with a bleeding leg, Faison with an arm cut.
- Used someone else’s phone to call police after the stabbings.
- WITNESS: Faison Teele
- Close friend of Tyler Rich
- Noticed about four people in the car, recognized Mackenzie.
- Arguing began between his friends and the car’s occupants.
- He and others started rocking the car and chased it as it sped away.
- Heard a loud thump or glass shatter—likely from a beer can hitting the vehicle.
- When the car returned again, two individuals—Raul “Lito” Valle and Tyler Dasilva, got out.
- Teele overheard them asking for Aidan King and became more confrontational.
- Told them to leave; they ignored him and continued toward the house.
- Tyler Rich threw the first punch at Tyler Dasilva, and a brawl erupted.
- Rich and Dasilva fell to the ground during the fight.
- Teele joined in by kicking/stomping, though he said they weren’t too hard.
- His physical involvement lasted about 20 seconds.
- Witnessed Tommy Connery on the ground, unable to move due to bleeding stab wounds in the legs.
- Saw Jimmy also bleeding out nearby.
- Someone with a flashlight alerted Teele that his own arm had been stabbed, he hadn’t noticed.
- Described the graphic injury: a piece of fat hanging from his arm, blood running down his side.
- Said he had no idea anyone had a knife until he realized he’d been wounded.
DAY 2 – 6/18/25
- VIDEO: CT V. Raul Valle | Preppy Party Murder Trial Day 2
- All 4 of the day’s witnesses were high schoolers at the time of the killing
- WITNESS: Griffin Marcincyk
- Shelton High School student at the time of the killing
- Went to the St. Joseph’s party on Lazy Brook with Ryan Heinz and witnessed the fight there, then went to Shelton High School party on Laurel Glen Drive
- Texted a group chat of St. Joseph’s and Shelton kids about the fight at the Lazy Brook home
- Raul Valle was added to this text chain and got the address of where he and Ryan were going when they left the party
- WITNESS: Isabella Molnar
- Attended the Lazy Brook house party that began as a party for the St. Joseph’s girls lacrosse team
- Saw the fight between Jack Snyder, Tyler DaSilva, Raul Valle (all St. Joseph’s kids) and Ryan Heinz
- WITNESS: Emily Robinson
- Attended the Lazy Brook party, shot cellphone video of the fight
- WITNESS: Tanner Chenowsky
- Dropped Griffin and Ryan off at the Lazy brook party
- Met up with Griffin and Ryan later at the Laurel Glen party after he heard about the fight
- Shot cellphone video of the fight
- WITNESS: Griffin Marcincyk
DAY 1 – 6/17/25
- WITNESS: Fmr. Shelton Police Officer Lonnie Blackwell
- First officer on the scene after responding to 911 call
- Observed about 30 juveniles in the yard at 43 Laurel Glen where the incident took place
- He said it was approximately midnight, so it was dark, but he could see clearly because of the lights on the house, and the kids had their phones out with flashlights. He described the scene as chaotic, pandemonium
- Blackwell said he identified several victims: One had a wound to their arm, another was sitting on the grass with a stab wound to their torso, a third had multiple stab wounds to their leg and a fourth had a wound to their chest area. The fourth victim was blue in the face and had lost a large amount of blood
- Identified the 4 stabbing victims and provided medical attention to James McGrath, who appeared to be stabbed in the chest
- A group of suspects was identified that fled from the scene in a Honda SUV
- WITNESS: Michael Egan, EMT
- Responded to the scene, said he saw a victim lying on his back with a weak pulse and a puncture wound to his left lower chest
- When he went to reassess him, there was no breathing and no pulse
- Described large crowd chaotic scene when he arrived
- Found James McGrath laying on his back. Did not look well. Was still breathing and had a weak pulse when he first assessed him
- Applied a chest seal to try and stop the bleeding
- Didn’t have a pulse and wasn’t breathing when he assessed him a second time
- CROSS: Didn’t witness anyone drinking alcohol. Says the obscenities people were yelling were not intended in a violent way, but in a “Hurry the F up, he’s effing dying” kind of way
- Responded to the scene, said he saw a victim lying on his back with a weak pulse and a puncture wound to his left lower chest
- WITNESS: Jeff McKee, Paramedic
- Testified that the scene was chaotic, and he saw people screaming, crying and upset
- Described James McGrath as appearing in good shape and healthy, although he did observe a small puncture wound on the left side of McGrath’s chest
- CROSS: Didn’t notice any signs of anyone drinking
- On cross, Valle’s defense attorney’s last question to the first three witnesses was: “You’re here to say what you did when you responded to the scene, but if jurors want to know why Raul Valle did what he did, you can’t tell them?” All agreed they couldn’t
- WITNESS: Dr. James Gill, Medical Examiner
- Testified that McGrath died from a 2.5-3.5 inch stab wound to the left chest that punctured the left ventricle of his heart
- McGrath’s blood alcohol content was .2%
- WITNESS: Sgt. Richard Bango, Shelton Police Dept.
- Lead detective on the case
- Described the chaotic scene at 42 Laurel Glen: dozens of kids running around, parents showing up
- Saw a bottle of whiskey in the yard but wasn’t worried about the underage drinking because of the stabbings
- Interviewed one of the surviving victims, Tom Connery, and his brother, developed probable cause to arrest Raul Valle
- Tried to interview Tyler DaSilva and Jack Snyder but either the parents refused the interview or no one answered the door (Valle was out with DaSilva and Snyder the night of the incident)
- All three were students at St. Joseph’s High School
- All three were at the party on Lazy Brook Dr. where the first fight happened
- They then were joined by 4 other friends (7 people in the car) and they went to the party on Laurel Glen where the stabbings happened
- Jack Snyder was the driver of the Honda Pilot
- Police were not able to interview Tyler DaSilva and Jack Snyder for six months, their parents refused to cooperate with investigators
- When they were interviewed, their attorneys were present
- Jack Snyder and Tyler DaSilva told police Raul Valle through the knife out of the car at the end of a cul-de-sac on Adams street
- Police searched for it multiple times even as recently as last month but never found it
- Testified about photos that were taken of Raul Valle after he turned himself in
- Valle appears to have a few injuries in the photos
- Sgt. Bango interviewed all the attendees at both parties the night of the incident
- Was informed that there is a cellphone video of the first fight at the Lazy Brook Drive house
- Obtained Ring camera videos from a house located at 36 Laurel Glen
- In 11:40pm video, before the incident, there are two angles: You can hear the kids yelling at each other and then running by and a car drives off
- 11:55pm video is after the incident, kids can be seen getting in car and leaving
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