WATERBURY, Conn — Waterbury police have charged a city man in the homicide of a local optometrist, who was found dead in his home in August.
Police said they were called to the home on Kendall Circle at 3:24 p.m. on Aug. 23 to check on 62-year-old James Anthony Ciccarelli. He was found to be deceased inside the home, and at that time police determined his death to be suspicious.
Waterbury Major Crimes detectives took over the investigation which was later ruled a homicide by the state Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME). Police say further investigation, which included forensic evidence, led them to identify David Rogers, age 24 of Waterbury, as a suspect.
On Friday, Rogers was taken into custody by Waterbury detectives while he was in the custody of CT Department of Corrections on unrelated charges. Detectives served Rogers with a warrant charging him with the Murder, Strangulation, and Larceny. Rogers' warrant had a $1.5-million bond and he is scheduled to be arraigned in court on Oct. 10. He remains in the custody of the Department of Correction.
Police said, "It should be noted that Rogers is a convicted felon and was on parole at this time of the incident."
An online obituary says that Ciccarelli, known as "Jimmy" to friends and family, graduated from Holy Cross High School, attended Catholic University of America, and the SUNY College of Optometry before practicing for 25 years, and notes that "Jimmy was also a longtime and enthusiastic patron of the Palace Theater in Waterbury."
Police told FOX61 that Ciccarelli and Rogers were known to each other, but have not yet provided any further information on their connection or any possible motive.
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