MANIAC'S SECOND VICTIM
‘Machete maniac’s second victim was friend whose girlfriend he abducted in stolen car’ before going on run
THE second alleged victim of Peter Manfredonia's recent apparent crime spree has been identified as a friend — and cops say he kidnapped the man's girlfriend in a stolen car after killing his pal.
Manfredonia, 23, Ted DeMers, 62, and assaulted another man on Friday before apparently later killing high school acquaintance Nicholas Eisele, also 23, on Sunday.
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The University of senior is said to have stopped at Eisele's house around 5.30am, where he killed him and abducted his girlfriend in their Volkswagen Jetta.
Neighbor Jesse, who lives in the apartment building, told : “I heard [a] loud bang. I heard a girl scream and then I heard two people arguing. It lasted about five or six minutes and then it just stopped.”
Jesse said he thought about calling the , but said Eisele and his girlfriend had argued before and he didn't want to be a nosey neighbor.
“They argued like any couple does so I said well they are probably arguing. They had a good night and maybe didn’t get along. I didn’t know it was to this extent.“
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Eisele and his girlfriend's car was later found in and the girlfriend was found unharmed on Sunday afternoon — and she said Manfredonia was her kidnapper.
The neighbor said: “I just felt guilty for not making that phone call. Maybe it might not have saved him but it would have caught him at least so that’s my guilt. I have to live with that.“
Later on Sunday, Eisele's parents identified the man's body.
Manfredonia .
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His parents .
“Peter you are loved. Your parents, your sisters, and your entire family loves you. Nobody wants any harm to come to you. It’s time to surrender," family attorney Michael Dolan said.
"You have your parents, sisters, family's entire support. Peter, from your parents — please turn yourself in.”
The has now joined police in three states — Connecticut, New Jersey, and — in the search for Manfredonia.
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On Friday, Manfredonia allegedly killed DeMers and is accused of brutally assaulting his friend after the two offered him to help him, as he was walking on the side of the road and needed a ride back to his motorcycle.
DeMers' wife, Cynthis, : “It could have been anybody who offered him a ride."
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"It could have been any of my neighbors’ husbands. It just happened to be mine.”
Cynthia DeMers said her husband drove away with Manfredonia on the back of DeMers' four-wheeler, and within five minutes, a neighbor drove to their house, saying a bad accident had happened.
Authorities found DeMers and the other man and began CPR, before both were taken to the hospital, where DeMers was pronounced dead.
Connecticut State Police said the attack was "brutal" and the man who survived the horrific ordeal that were described as "sword or machete wounds."
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Cynthia DeMers said the man who survived the attack was an elderly neighbor.
The family's attorney said over the weekend that Manfredonia has"struggled with mental health issues" for several years and has sought the help of "a number of therapists."
Manfredonia, described as six-foot-three and white, is reportedly a 2015 graduate of Newtown High School and enrolled in UConn's Management & Engineering for Manufacturing program.
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Before the 23-year-old is said to have stopped at Eisele's house on Sunday, police were called to a property in Willington from which Manfredonia had allegedly stolen three shotguns, a pistol, and a truck.
The owner of the home had been held for a time against his will but was left unharmed.
The truck was discovered crash and abandoned near Osbornedale State Park at around 6.45am.
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