A 40-year-old Milford woman was killed in her home while her 3- and 17-year-old children were inside Tuesday night, police said, and they have charged her former boyfriend with murder. Authorities said they believe he used an axe.
Police have identified the victim as 40-year-old Julie Minogue, who they said was also known as Minogoe, and the suspect as 42-year-old Ewen Dewitt.
Milford police said they arrested Dewitt, whose last known address was in Roxbury, in November 2019 when he was suspected of assaulting Minogue. A protective order was issued after the incident.
And last week, on Dec. 1, Minogue was granted a full no-contact restraining order after a complaint that Dewitt sent her harassing text messages, police said.
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In documentation obtained by NBC Connecticut, Minogue told police that she was scared Dewitt was going to kill her.
"I don't feel I should be subjected to this abuse any longer," Minogue said in a statement to police. "I am scared for the safety of my children."
Just after 9 p.m. Tuesday, Minogue’s 17-year-old son called 911 and reported that a man was assaulting his mother in their home, police said.
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Court documents say that the teen woke up from sleeping and heard yelling downstairs. When he went downstairs, he saw Dewitt holding an axe.
"I look at her [Minogue] first and then I look at Ewen and he looks straight at me right in my eyes," the teen told authorities, documents state.
Minogue's child ultimately ran back upstairs and barricaded himself in his room.
He said, "I don't remember running into my room, but I remember locking my door and looking for my phone to call 911," according to court documents.
"I was standing on my bed by my window with one foot out, ready to jump out," the teen told officials. After hearing screaming from who he believed to be Dewitt, he jumped out the window, got up and ran away, according to court documents.
According to investigators, Dewitt called his mother and told her that he killed his girlfriend. Dewitt's mother called police to report the crime.
Police found Minogue on the kitchen floor. She was not moving and did not appear to be breathing, according to the probable cause statement. Dewitt was not there when officers arrived.
A large axe that had what appeared to be blood on it was found on the top of the stove, according to paperwork from police.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is determining an official cause of death.
Officers who responded to the home found Minogue’s 3-year-old child on the couch in the living room. Police said the child was not physically harmed and family members are taking care of both children.
Dewitt was found in a trailer outside of a West Haven bar and taken into custody without incident. Police found him after pinging his phone, according to court documents.
He has been charged with murder, criminal violation of a standing criminal protective order, criminal violation of a restraining order, risk of injury and reckless endangerment.
He was arraigned at the Connecticut Superior Court in Milford today and is being held on a $5 million bond.
Police continue to investigate. They said the victim and the suspect were in a prior dating relationship.
Neighbors said people look out for each other in the community and they were stunned and saddened by what happened.
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