SUFFIELD — Officials say Michael Torbicki, charged with killing his wife in September, was found dead in his jail cell in Suffield early Monday morning.
Torbicki was being held on a $2 million bond awaiting trial in the murder of his wife, Patricia Torbicki.
Police said on September 21, they believe Torbicki fatally shot his wife Patricia Torbicki inside their residence.
Newington police said around 9 a.m. that day, they responded to a citizen report of a woman lying inside the front door of 52 Gilbert Road.
“The citizen reported the woman appeared to be deceased. The first officers on scene found an adult female that had serious injuries and appeared deceased,” said police.
Residents in the immediate neighborhood were told to “shelter in place” as a precaution.
Michael Torbicki’s attorney, Jon Schoenhorn, sought lower bail and argued that his client should be charged with manslaughter not murder. The attorney told the judge his 45-year-old client was disabled from his military service and suffers from alcoholism and depression and PTSD.
Officials say that Torbicki was found by prison staff with a ligature tired around his neck during a routine tour. They say life saving measures were immediately initiated and he was taken to St. Francis hospital where he was later pronounced dead. He’s been held at the prison since October 13th.
The Department of Corrections Security Division is investigating the incident.
