NORTH HAVEN -- While neither the Office of the Chief Medical examiner, nor the Connecticut State Police, have released the name of the man who died in the barn explosion Wednesday night, there is good news coming from this tragic story.
The nine officers that were members of the regional SWAT team, who were injured as a result of Wednesday night’s explosions, have all been released from the hospital.
Remains of Wednesday night’s devastation were being carted away throughout the day Friday from what was a home and several buildings on the property at 385 Quinnipiac Avenue.
Neighbors of the couple, who called this address their home for 32 years, all said the same thing.
“They were a bit reclusive,” said Erik Gustafson, a neighbor of the couple for six years.
He described the homeowner, John Sayre, the man whose whereabouts remain unknown, as quirky.
“He had a large tractor, where he would mow his lawn about 11:30 at night, with the lights blaring.”
Playing loud music, aiming video cameras and flood lights at neighbors properties were among the issues neighbors had with Sayre, but they never expected things to get this bad.
Riveting video provided to FOX61 by a resident of Quinnipiac Avenue, showed a SWAT vehicle right up close to the house while members of the team called out saying, “We need to speak with you. Please make yourself visible to us. Do not resist. Listen to our command.”
The massive law enforcement was a response to a domestic dispute called into police Wednesday afternoon by Sayre’s wife, who filed for divorce on April 17, saying that the marriage had broken down irretrievably.
“She files divorce papers and this is how he responds,” said Richie Grenfell, a neighbor. “I think that the guy was a really sad man.”
On April 24, a week after filing for the divorce, the wife, Deborah Sayre, updated her Facebook profile picture including words that says “It’s OK not to be OK. Some days are just harder than others.”
She filed for divorce after 40 years of marriage.
