There is relief in Milford after Police make an arrest on a 12-year-old murder case.
In May of 2001, 28-year-old Kelsey Monahon was murdered. She was pregnant and married at the time living with her husband off the beach in Milford.
Her husband found her with a rope tied around her feet, wrist and neck. She died a few days later in the hospital. The cause of death was strangulation.
“It’s taken a number of years and over 100 interviews to bring the case to the point where it is today but there is a lot of satisfaction,” said Milford Police Chief Keith Mello.
Police said Luis Rodriguez is behind the crime. They issued an arrest warrant for Rodriguez in 2011. This week he was extradited from federal prison in El Reno, OK back to New England. He was behind bars on unrelated weapons charges.
Wednesday morning he was arraigned.
“We’re looking forward to the next phase of this investigation and that is the prosecution of Mr. Rodriguez for this horrible crime,” said Chief Mello.
Nicholas Vicino lives a few doors down from the gruesome murder scene. He was just 8-years-old when Monahon was murdered.
“I mean I realize how much more serious it is now and I’m just glad that Kelsey has some closure,” he said.
“For certainly the family and the people involved there is some kind of closure and relief,” said another neighbor.
Rodriguez is behind bars on a $2 million bond and is facing murder and felony murder charges. His next court date is set for June 27, 2013.
The case will be prosecuted by the Office of the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Ansonia-Milford and the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney.