NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A Meriden man has been sentenced to 16 years in prison after he was found guilty of a fatal stabbing in 2021.
Kristopher Carlson, 24, was found guilty of first-degree manslaughter for the stabbing death of 32-year-old Ernesto Cipolli outside of Wallingford's Corner Cafe.
The stabbing happened around 9:45 p.m. on January 16, 2021. Police said Carlson and Cipolli "exchanged words" at the bar before it closed. According to the incident report, Cipolli first stayed inside the bar while his girlfriend and bartender cleaned up. Then, Cipolli went outside for a smoke and spotted Carlson sitting in his car.
The report cited a witness stating that the two got into a physical fight after exchanging more words and that she yelled at Cipolli to let him know that Carlson seemed to have been reaching for what she thought was a gun.
According to police, the witness saw Carlson hit Cipolli in the arm with the item in his hand.
The police report stated that Cipolli ran for the door of the Corner Cafe, but it was locked. That's when Carlson stabbed Cipolli several more times, according to the report. He was pronounced dead less than an hour after the stabbing.
At the time of the arrest, Carlson reportedly told police that he felt "threatened" and that his actions were self-defense.
Carlson was found guilty of first-degree manslaughter after a trial in May 2022.
During his sentencing Tuesday, the judge stated the stabbing was an "avoidable tragedy."
Jareliz Diaz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jdiaz@fox61.com
Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
---
Have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at newstips@fox61.com
----
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.
Steam Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click ‘Get’ to download.
