Retired trooper kills wife, turns gun on himself
Mid-Hudson News, NY
December 31, 2008
MARBLETOWN – A retired state trooper assigned to the Thruway shot and killed his estranged wife early Wednesday morning and then took his own life, State Police said.
William Cotto, 53, had entered his wife’s residence at 3657 Main Street in Marbletown around 4 a.m. armed with a shotgun and shot and killed his wife, 49-year-old Isol Cotto. Cotto them went to a parking lot at a nearby gas station and shot himself to death, police said.
No one else at the residence was injured.
Cotto had been arrested on misdemeanor charges for unlawful imprisonment in the second degree, menacing in the second degree and harassment in the second degree on December 30. At the time of his arrest, State Police secured all weapons known to be in Cotto’s possession. They included a shotgun and ammunition, as well as knives and billy clubs. He was arraigned and committed to the Ulster County Jail on 5,000 bail.
At the time of the murder/suicide incident, Cotto was in violation of an order of protection as a result of the earlier charges.
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact State Police at Kingston at 845-338-1702.
Police are currently investigating the origin of the weapon used and are treating this case as a murder/suicide.
Police: Retired trooper kills wife, self
Poughkeepsie Journal
December 31, 2008
MARBLETOWN - Authorities said a retired state trooper shot and killed his estranged wife early today before taking his own life - a day after the ex-trooper was arrested for harassing his wife and being ordered to stay away from her.
State police at Kingston said they responded to a residence on Main Street in Marbletown just before 4 a.m. and were told by family members that former Trooper William Cotto, 53, had entered the home and shot his estranged wife.
Police said Isol Cotto, 49, was found dead in a bedroom from a gunshot wound.
State police and Ulster County sheriff’s deputies later found William Cotto in the parking lot of a nearby gas station, dead from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Cotto had been assigned to the New York State Thruway. Police did not say when he retired.
Police said Cotto was arrested Tuesday on misdemeanor charges of unlawful imprisonment, menacing and harassment.
Police said they confiscated weapons from Cotto following his arrest, including a shotgun, ammunition, knives and billy clubs.
Cotto had been arraigned in Marbletown court and sent to the Ulster County Jail on $5,000 bail.
It was not immediately clear when he was released, or who posted bail.
Police said Cotto was in violation of an order of protection related to Tuesday’s charges at the time of today’s incident.
Authorities are investigating where Cotto got the weapon used in today’s incident, which police said they are treating as a murder/suicide.
Anyone with information is asked to call state police at 845-338-1702.
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I am familiar with this family, I think that the Police department should be held responsible in this case. Police need to take domestic problems/violence more seriously, especially when a man violates an order of protection, that order is there for a reason. After they find out he is fully armed, they release him after 90 minutes, this is a disgrace to women who need protection.
ReplyDeletewww.4survivors.blogspot.com
Maria Phelps
From Maria's blog:
ReplyDeleteMarbletown Justice Mark Glick
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090101/NEWS/901010315
The police should be held responsible?? It was taken seriously you boob! He was arrested, arraigned, bail was set by the boob Glick at a measly 5k. He bailed himself out with a bloody credit card. (should be cash or bond like in the old days.
ReplyDeleteYour comment "this is a disgrace to women who need protection" is crazy. The courts failed this woman and her family not the police department. The criminal justice system is effed up.
I THINK IT IS THE POLICE DEPT. AND THE COURTS FAULT...THIS MAN HAS ABUSED THIS WOMEN SINCE I CAN REMEMBER!! I KNOW THIS FAMILY SINCE KINDERGARTEN AND HE IS A SICK PERSON! THE POLICE ALWAYS LET IT GO AND TREATED LESS THAN WHAT IT WAS AND THE COURTS DID TOO!!! WE LOVE AND MISS YOU MOMMY!!!RIP ISOL!
ReplyDeleteI would like to interview anyone who is willing to talk to me about Isol, especially family members. Rest her soul. ~Lauronyusa@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteIsol was a lovely woman, very sweet and mild mannered. Our legal system is a disgrace, and somebody should have to answer. Bail should never have been set so low or set...period. And to use a credit card?! Not to mention that they never notified her upon his release. This could have been avoided if the people in charge knew what they were doing. Plain and simple...he got away with abusing her for years because he was a cop. He took away a dear friend and coworker. Isol, we love you and miss you.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteYou know the killer's side of things, second hand. You villify a woman you don't know. She "lured" him back? Is that what it's called when you try to stay married?
ReplyDeleteHow would YOU know Bill confided in few people? Who could know that?
So your point - Isol kind of got what she had coming.
If he was abusing her do you think he would come tell your husband the truth?
Think about it.
Abusers talk to others as if they are the victim. They turn others against the victim so the victim will have no place to turn.
this is in response to the police officers wife.your husband was just another person that this animal lied to.did he ever tell about all the beatings he inflicted on isol,knocked her teeth out,black eyes,cuts etc.,probably not.how about when he was a "police officer"and still married to isol,that he went out with another woman and tried to rape her,probably not.i would just like everyone to know how happy isol was the last few months of her life.she was a kind,caring ,beautiful woman that had so much to give and this sick animal took that all away.i hope he is suffering in hell where he belongs and i hope u spend all your money on medication.isol,i love you and miss you very much,your lover,larry
ReplyDelete[NY] Isol saw her own death coming
ReplyDeletehttp://behindthebluewall.blogspot.com/2009/01/ny-isol-saw-her-own-death-coming.html
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeletewhen someone writes a comment that is so untrue,i feel a need to set the record straight.i was there first hand and know what was going on.threats on the phone,constant calling,stalking.looking for someone to console me?kristina and erla,her 2-beautiful daughters, and isols family from iceland,we are all consoling each other.
ReplyDeletedon't let them bother you larry. some people are like that. bitter. they distract. no matter what you say they come at you again the same way. it's obvious who this person is connected to.
ReplyDeleteAnyone coming by here to villify the murder victim may as well not submit anymore comments here. I'm sure there are other places you can drop your toxic words. As for me and this blog - your comments just won't make it through.
ReplyDeleteHard to believe that people sit around trying to condone murdering someone.
Someone just tried to post that Isol isn't a victim of domestic violence. Oh really?
You might want to think that through one more time - considering she's been murdered.
Killing someone is wrong.
There are other options.
thank you for stopping those comments
ReplyDeleteI THINK THAT ITS INTERESTING THAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT THEY KNOW SO N SO OR THEY R FRIENDS WITH THE FAMILY. WELL I AM A FAMILY MEMBER , A VERY CLOSE FAMILY MEMBER. AND WHAT I AM READING ARE COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE WHO SEEM TO BE VERY GOOD FRIENDS WITH WILLY AND ISOLS DAUGHTER. PERHAPS HAVE KNOWN HER N HAVE VISITED THE HOUSE FREQUENTLY . AND WHAT I DONT THINK ANYONE REALIZES IS THAT HE WAS STILL A FATHER AND ITS VERY CONFLICTING FOR A DAUGHTER TO READ THESE WORDS , HOWEVER TRUE ,ABOUT THEIR FATHER . DOES IT ANGER ME , YES AND IT ALSO SHAMES ME A LITTLE CUZ NO ONE WANTS THIS TRAGEDY IN THEIR FAMILY . THERE ARE ALOT OF THINGS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE . BUT I TRY TO REMEBER THE GOOD AND PRAY FOR THE SINS OF OTHERS. I WAS THERE WHN HE BROUGHT HER HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR MY FAMILY TO MEET HER. I REMEBER WHEN SHE TOOK BEAUTY COURSE AND DIED A FAMILY MEMBERS HAIR GREEN . SOOO FUNNY. I REMEBER AT THEIR WEDDING WE HAD A BIG CAKE FIGHT . HOW BEAUTIFUL SHE LOOKED AND HOOW HAPPY SHE WAS. I REMEBER BEING THERE WHEN THEIR DAUGHTER WAS BORN AND I BABY SAT EVERY SUMMER FOR BOTH GIRLS WHILE THEY WORKED CUZ WILLY SENT FOR ISOLS OTHER DAUGHTER EVRY SUMMER FROM ICELAND. MY POINT IS I DONT WNT THEIR DAUGHTER READING AND CONSTANTLY RELIVING THESE HORRIFIC EVENTS. OR PEOPLE TOM THINK THAT IT WAS ALLL BAD FOR THEM , IT WASNT BUT I DO AGREE THERE WWAS ALOT OF BAD TIMES. ALOT .THE PERSON THAT WROTE THAT BLOG THAT WAS DELETED WAS NOT A BAD PERSON OR DEFENDING ABUSE BUT THEY ONLY SAW ONE SIDE F HIM . THE SIDE THAT WAS WHAT HE WANTED TO BE . ITS AD THAT HE LET HIMSELF GET SO OUT OF CONTROL . AND THAT SHE DIDNT LEAVE WHEN WE BEGGED HER TO.
ReplyDeleteI am personally going to make it a point to publish a collection of true stories about domestic violence turning deadly, so that I can convince myself as well as others to get out of a bad relationship.
ReplyDeleteive been a friend of kristina for years daughter of isol. every since i have met her she and her mother have been afraid of her father. i have first hand witnessed the abuse with my own eyes. the Bond kristina has was her mother i so precious they did everything together. thank God he gave me the chance to have met isol. She was a very strong woman and has raised i very very strong daughter
ReplyDelete