VERNON -- An Ellington man accused of killing his wife and staging a home invasion will be headed to trial after rejecting a plea deal.
Rick Dabate appeared for a pre-trial hearing at Rockville Superior Court Thursday. He and his lawyers rejected a plea deal, choosing to take the murder case to trial.
Dabate is accused of murdering his wife Connie in 2015 -just a few days before Christmas. She was found dead with a gunshot wound to her head in the basement of their Ellington home. Prosecutors believe Debate staged a home invasion. He told police an intruder broke into the couple’s home - tied him up - and then fled the scene.
If convicted of the charges against him, Dabate could face a maximum of 66 years in prison, and no less than 25 years.