Norwich police have arrested a suspect in the murder of a Norwich woman last week.
Jean Jacques, 40, of Crossway Street in Norwich, was arrested on Thursday and charged with murder.
Police found the body of 25-year-old Casey Chadwick when they responded to 16 Spaulding Street on June 15 to investigate a suspicious death.
She died of sharp forced injuries to the head and neck and she also suffered from vascular injuries, Norwich police said. Her death was determined to be a homicide.
"She was beautiful. She was an absolutely beautiful girl," said Chadwick’s mother, Wendy Hartling, in a previous interview.
Court documents revealed 40-year-old Jacques had been coming to the victim’s house unannounced and that they are acquaintances. The affidavit said the victim’s boyfriend told investigators drugs he stored were missing from Chadwick’s apartment.
Last Friday, state police and Norwich investigators were on scene at a home on Crossway Street, which contains several apartments. According to court documents, Jacques had moved into one of the apartments about a week before Chadwick’s murder. His apartment was located several blocks away from Chadwick’s.
Local
Video shows state police in hazmat suits carrying evidence out of the apartment. Police collected evidence including counterfeit money, a cell phone, and blood on his clothing.
Neighbors are relieved someone was caught.
"I couldn’t even let my granddaughter come over here because I was too afraid," said one of Chadwick’s neighbors, Debbie, who chose not to reveal her last name. "She has friends around here I couldn’t even let her walk the street."
A state police record check revealed Jacques had a prior attempted murder conviction. He was arrested in 1996 and charged with murder. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison and was released on parole on January 16, 2015.
Jacques has been charged with murder in connection with Chadwick's death and is being held on a $1 million court-set bond.
Police continue to investigate and ask anyone with information to call
Detective Anthony Gomes at 860-892-2892.
