[CT] Manhunt for Officer Morelli's killer has quieted into sadness & the unspoken

What at first seemed like a case of a Norwalk police officer brutally slain on duty progressively turned into a tragedy with more questions than answers... he radioed headquarters that he was getting out of his cruiser to investigate some suspicious activity... A backup officer arriving WITHIN A MINUTE of Morelli's last transmission found his body... A massive manhunt ensued throughout the day as police searched for a suspect... The chief, along with Weston police sergeants Mike Ferullo and Patrick Daubert, and Detective Carl Filsinger, have spent a great deal of time with the Morelli family since Friday, trying to console and help them...

Norwalk police officer shot and killed
Associated Press
By John Christoffersen
March 21, 2008
[Excerpts] ...Officer Matthew Morelli was on routine patrol in the south end of Norwalk early Friday when he radioed headquarters that he was getting out of his cruiser to investigate some suspicious activity in a secluded parking lot. A backup officer arriving WITHIN A MINUTE of Morelli's last transmission found his body. He had been shot, his cruiser nearby. A massive manhunt ensued throughout the day as police searched for a suspect and struggled with their own loss. "Nobody knows what really happened at this point," said police union president Bill Curwen. "The not knowing is what's eating a hole in everybody"... Police have released few details on a suspect and would not say whether Morelli, 38, was ambushed or was wearing a bulletproof vest... Police spokesman Lt. Paul Resnick reassured neighbors that they are not in danger... Angel Baez, 11, said he heard four gunshots early Friday and looked out the window to see lights flashing... Other neighbors reported hearing five or six shots... Another neighbor said officers often parked in the area to do paperwork or have a cup of coffee because it was quiet. Morelli, who had a young daughter, had been a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician. The tall, lanky officer also loved farming and kept llamas, sheep and chickens at his home. "He walked like he had been on a tractor all day... He was very outspoken. If he liked you he told you he liked you. If he didn't like you, he told you. He was a soft and tender guy inside," Curwen said. "There was a hard side to him. Inside he was really like a cupcake"... Morelli joined the Norwalk department in 1996, the same year he was honorably discharged from the Marines after serving in the first Gulf War and was a former Marine intelligence analyst... [Full article here]

Excerpts from press conference touch on family, Morelli's transmissions, suicide, his military service, and that he was a good man with many friends who will be missed...

Weston in shock over police officer's death
Weston Forum, CT
by Patricia Gay
Mar 22, 2008
[Excerpts] Those who knew Matthew Morelli are still in shock as they come to grips with his untimely death... Officer Morelli was shot and died shortly after midnight, Friday, March 21, in the parking lot of the Calvary Reformed Church in Norwalk... According to the Norwalk police, Officer Morelli called police headquarters at 12:26 a.m. to say he was checking something suspicious in the lot. HE THEN MADE A BRIEF CALL TO DISPATCH before his radio went dead... Norwalk police said a rifle, described as an AK-47 or older military-style rifle, was found next to or under Officer Morelli's body... "Matt was a good kid, good Marine, good police officer, and a good man. When he was hired by Norwalk, he told me that was one of the best days of his life," [Weston Police Chief John] Troxell said... The chief, along with Weston police sergeants Mike Ferullo and Patrick Daubert, and Detective Carl Filsinger, have spent a great deal of time with the Morelli family since Friday, trying to console and help them. "The family is distraught, as may be expected," Det. Filsinger said. He knew Officer Morelli for many years. "This is just devastating. It's a loss for every one of us," he said... "He was a good EMT and he played on the department's softball team. What happened is shocking and very sad, because Matt was a very competent and capable police officer," [Weston EMS Director Jon] Weingarten said... Selectman Major said when something tragic like this happens, it is a wake-up call to the community. "We sometimes take for granted the risks our police officers face for our protection"... [Full article here]

Results Delayed in Norwalk Policeman’s Death
Westport Now, CT
03/22
[Excerpts] Autopsy results on the body of a Norwalk police officer who died of a gunshot wound are not likely to be available for weeks, a spokeswoman for the state’s medical examiner said today. She said conclusive results about the circumstances under which Matthew Morelli, 38, died are pending until more studies are concluded. What at first seemed like a case of a Norwalk police officer brutally slain on duty progressively turned into a tragedy with more questions than answers... A divorced Gulf War combat veteran with a young daughter, Morelli served for 11 years on the Norwalk department. [Full article here]

Police found Officer Morelli lying in the Calvary Reformed Church parking lot.

Autopsy On Slain Norwalk Officer Inconclusive, M.E. Says
WNBC
POSTED: March 21, 2008
UPDATED: March 22, 2008
[Excerpts] The cause of death of a veteran Norwalk officer will not be known for another six to 10 weeks... A backup officer arriving within a minute of Morelli's last transmission found his body. He had been shot... "Obviously I received a call no mayor wants to receive," Moccia said. "It's fair to say it's been my toughest day since I've been mayor of the city. I’ve heard a lot of the same things you have but I’m not going to say too much right now," Moccia said. "The family has gone through enough, the town has gone through enough. We’ll just see what sorts out when the final report comes out"... NYPD and Westchester County Police Department helicopters equipped with infrared imaging also assisted officers search for at least one person who is suspected to have fled Lubrano Place on foot... Police have released few details... Police spokesman Lt. Paul Resnick reassured neighbors that they are not in danger... [Full article here]