No cause of death yet released on Norwich manhunt suspect
John Penney
jpenney@norwichbulletin.com
NORWICH — The cause and manner of death of a wanted man whose body was found Tuesday after trading shots with a Norwich police officer are still not known.
The state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner by Thursday afternoon had not released any information on how 25-year-old Brandon Uzaialko died. A representative from the office said they were waiting for additional information from state police before making the autopsy results public. State police spokesman Sgt. Eric Haglund did not give details on what kind of information investigators were expected to provide to the medical examiner's office.
State police said Uzialko, formerly of 41 Merchants Ave., was found dead Tuesday after engaging a Norwich police officer in a firefight in the Greeneville section of town. No information has been released on what wounds Uzialko suffered.
Uzialko was the subject of a police manhunt spurred by a Saturday night stabbing on Quatro Road in which a male victim – the new boyfriend of Uzialko's former girlfriend Sonia Fowler– was stabbed several times.
At approximately 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Norwich police ordered Greeneville residents to shelter in place after Uzialko was spotted in the area. After "an exchange of gunfire" with a Norwich officer, Uzialko fled the area on foot. His body was found hours later in the area of 13 Prospect St., state police said.
To avoid any potential conflicts of interest, the case was moved from out of Norwich to the Windham County State's Attorney's Office in Danielson. State's Attorney Anne Mahoney, the lead prosecutor for the Windham Judicial District, said in cases like Uzialko's, the chief state's attorney decides where the investigation will be handled.
"Our chief inspector will then work with the Eastern District Major Crime Squad throughout the process," she said. "The whole point to take the investigation out of the hands of the local police department's hands to ensure there's no potential conflict."
The unidentified Norwich police officer who exchanged gunfire with Uzialko is on paid administrative leave.
A warrant had been issued for Uzialko on attempted murder, home invasion and risk of injury to a minor in connection with the Quarto Road stabbing. He had previous arrests on second-degree strangulation, third-degree assault, trespassing and disorderly conduct.