Norwich firefighters were called to the scene of the fire in a multifamily home on Franklin Street in Norwich around 10:50 a.m. Thursday morning. When they arrived, they found an unresponsive woman in an apartment. She was severely burned and had multiple stab wounds, and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The State Police Major Crimes Division was called to assist with the investigation, along with the Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit, Norwich Fire Department, Norwich Police Department, State Police both the city and state fire marshal's offices, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the New London County State's Attorney's Office.
Family members identified the victim as 38-year-old Margarette Madi, who was due in just a few weeks with a baby girl. They said she worked at Foxwoods Resort Casino and has two other children.
Around 9:30 p.m. police announced that they had arrested Madi's husband, Patrick Antoine, 39, in relation to her murder.
Antoine turned himself in to Norwich police headquarters around 10:49 a.m., the same time that emergency dispatchers received 911 calls about the fire. When he arrived at the police station, he told officers he'd killed his wife in their home, then set the apartment on fire.
The American Red Cross said they are helping two families, five adults and one child, after the fire.
The investigation is ongoing.
Earlier in the day Sgt. Peter Camp had said there was no reason for the public to be concerned, as the fire was considered an "isolated incident."
