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Tuesday, apr 29

Josh Lanier

Assistant Managing Editor

jlanier@dailyvoice.com

Josh Lanier started his reporting career in high school for his local newspaper. Many — many — years later, he’s still chasing leads for compelling stories. During his time writing for newspapers, magazines, and online publications, he’s covered everything from murderers to mommy bloggers, but his most interesting story is always the next one.

Josh Lanier's Contributions

Police & Fire

Vernon Funeral Home Owner Stole $71K From Clients to Fund Gambling, Shopping Sprees: Police A Connecticut funeral home owner was arrested this week after police said he embezzled $71,000 from mentally and physically disabled clients, using the funds to gamble, shop, and dine out. Philip Pietras, 51, of Coventry, was taken into custody on Sunday, April 6, and charged with first-degree larceny, according to Connecticut State Police. Police began investigating Pietras in October 2024 after a financial agency that manages funds for disabled adults reported discrepancies in payments sent to one of Pietras’ funeral homes. Pietras owns four funeral homes, including Bassinger and Do…

04/08/2025

Obituaries

Bicyclist Killed In Hartford Hit-Run Crash ID’d As 42-Year-Old Local Man Authorities have identified the 42-year-old cyclist who was fatally struck in a hit-and-run crash earlier this week. Nick Thompson was riding his bicycle along Main Street near the intersection with Capen Street in Hartford on Monday, April 7, when a vehicle rear-ended him and then crashed into a parked car, police said. The people inside ran away before officers arrived around 7:30 p.m. Paramedics rushed Thompson to a nearby hospital, but he was later pronounced dead. Tributes poured in on social media, where friends and community members shared memories they had with Thompson. Many descr…

04/08/2025

Police & Fire

Bullet Found In Waterbury Elementary School Classroom Police in Connecticut are investigating after a bullet was found inside a classroom at a Waterbury elementary school, and they’re asking the public for information. The loose bullet was discovered on Friday afternoon, April 4, at John G. Gilmartin Elementary School, located at 94 Spring Lake Road in Waterbury, authorities said. Waterbury police recovered the bullet and searched the building, but no other projectiles or weapons were found. Investigators said there was no threat to the school, students, or staff. Anyone with information about who may have brought the bullet to Gilmarti…

04/08/2025

News

$1M Lottery Jackpot: Plymouth Man Plans To Set Sail After Landing Payday A Plymouth man who scored a $1 million lottery jackpot will trade scratch-offs for schooners as he eyes buying a new boat with his windfall. John DeChellis won the seven-figure prize playing “$1,000,000 Ultimate 7," a $5 scratch-off game. He chose to take the lump sum payment of $650,000 (before taxes) rather than the annuity, which would have paid out the full amount over 20 years. Related: Lowell Man Has Big Plans After Winning $4 Million Lottery Jackpot DeChellis told the lottery he plans to use the money to buy a new boat and make some home improvements.&n…

04/08/2025

News

American YouTuber Jailed After Trying To Gift Diet Coke To World's 'Most Isolated' Tribe An American YouTuber is in an Indian jail after authorities said he allegedly tried to reach a forbidden island inhabited by an isolated and violent tribe of people to give them a Diet Coke, according to an ABC News report. Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, a 24-year-old from Scottsdale, Arizona, was arrested on Monday, March 31, and charged with attempting to access North Sentinel Island, the report said. The Sentinelese people are considered the "most isolated Indigenous people on Earth," according to Survival International. They speak an unknown language and have been known to be hostile to…

04/07/2025

Police & Fire

Killingly Man Strangled Cat, Stabbed Woman In Neck Amid ‘Downward Spiral': Police A Connecticut man in a "downward spiral" allegedly strangled a cat to death and attacked a woman with a knife, authorities said. Mackenzie Anderson, 26, of Killingly, was arrested Thursday, April 3, and charged with malicious killing of an animal, disorderly conduct, assault with a weapon, and unlawful restraint, Connecticut State Police said. Troopers responded to a Killingly home on Saturday, March 29, after a woman reported that Anderson had attacked her. He denies the claims, police said. A neighbor called 911 after the woman banged on their door around 7 a.m., pleading for help. The …

04/07/2025

Police & Fire

Wallingford Man Killed In I-91 3-Car Crash Just Days Before His Birthday A Connecticut man was killed after crashing into multiple trees following a three-car chain-reaction wreck on Interstate 91, authorities said. Manuel Benejan, 51, of Wallingford, died from injuries he sustained in the crash on Monday, April 7, according to Connecticut State Police. He would have turned 52 next week. Troopers responded to the wreck near Exit 13 in Wallingford around 6:45 a.m. An initial investigation found that Benejan was driving southbound on I-91 when, for unknown reasons, he veered into the center lane and struck a Nissan, police said. The impact sent the Nissan into a …

04/07/2025

Police & Fire

Stamford Man Crashed Into Pedestrian On Purpose, Left Them Hospitalized: Police A Connecticut man is facing serious charges after police said he intentionally hit a pedestrian with his SUV before speeding away, authorities said. Jeremiah Vizzo, 43, of Stamford, turned himself in to police on Monday, April 7, and was being held on a court-set $75,000 bond, authorities said. Police accused Vizzo of crashing his Lexus SUV into a 57-year-old Stamford resident in the 400 block of West Main Street around 7 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 16. He allegedly drove off, leaving the victim seriously injured on the road. Paramedics took the victim to an area hospital with serious injur…

04/07/2025

Police & Fire

CT Man Caught Looting Overturned Tractor-Trailer On I-84 In Hartford: Police A Connecticut man was arrested over the weekend and accused of stealing items from a tractor-trailer rollover crash that spilled its contents across Interstate 84, authorities said. Marcus King, 51, of Andover, was taken into custody on Sunday, April 6, after Connecticut State Police obtained surveillance video allegedly showing him picking through the crash site before speeding away, officials said. Police responded to the crash in Hartford at approximately 5:20 a.m. after receiving reports of a wrong-way driver. Traffic camera footage reportedly showed a truck reversing down the Exit 42 o…

04/07/2025

Police & Fire

4 Killed In Blaze: Worcester Woman Admits To Fatal Apartment Fire, Sentenced To 4 Life Terms A Central Massachusetts woman who admitted to setting a fatal fire that killed four people and injured several others has been sentenced to four concurrent life terms in prison. Yvonne Ngoiri, 39, of Worcester, pleaded guilty to four counts of second-degree murder and several other serious charges related to the 2022 blaze that tore through a triple-decker apartment building at 2 Gage St., the Worcester County District Attorney's Office said. She will be eligible for parole after serving 20 years. Worcester firefighters were called to the home around 3:30 a.m. on May 14, 2022. Flames quickl…

04/07/2025

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