On Saturday, August 3, authorities responded to a caller who claimed that he had hurt his father at a residence in Ridgefield. The suspect, 31-year-old Steven James Uricchio, was found by authorities outside the house, wearing a dark blue shirt with boxer shorts, his hands in the air, a police report obtained by the Hour said.

Uricchio appeared to have blood on his hands and was sweating. He was then instructed by cops to walk forward with his arms extended.

Authorities inspected Uricchio for weapons, and then went on to ask him about his dad, Marc Uricchio. “I murdered him,” said Uricchio, adding that he had killed him “really, really badly.”

‘This is a tragedy of Shakespearean dimensions’

Investigators entered the house to find blood drops on the stairs and on both sides of the wall. At the top of the stairs lay a fillet knife covered in blood. 83-year-old Marc lay on the floor in his bedroom, according to cops.

Marc was pronounced dead at the scene. Both his groin and abdomen were mutilated. Some of his internal organs were discovered outside his body.

Police Capt. Jeffrey Raines told the News-Times that this horrific incident was Ridgefield’s first murder since 2003. The killing “shakes the town up. This is a very safe community,” he said.

Uricchio told officers a few hours after being arrested that he had problems in his stomach because of a quarter of a bottle of Advil he had earlier taken. He was then taken to Danbury Hospital for evaluation, where he told doctors he had been prescribed a medication that he had not taken “in a month or two.” He also confessed that he regularly used cannabis.

After being discharged from the hospital, Uricchio was taken back to Ridgefield police headquarters on suicide watch. On Monday, August 5, he was arraigned in Danbury Superior Court. He seemed almost catatonic and was carried into the courtroom.

Uricchio reportedly slumped with his head on the defence table and was asked by the judge to stand up. A nearby officer had to pull him to his feet.

Uricchio’s defence lawyer Willie Dow claimed that the suspect had “significant mental health history.” Dow agreed with the prosecution’s request for mental health treatment and a competency evaluation. He also agreed that his client required continued suicide watch. The judge approved all of these.

“This is a tragedy of Shakespearean dimensions. It has devastated the family as well as my client,” Dow told News 12 Connecticut.

Uricchio is due back in court on September 4. He is at present being held on $1.5 million bail.

A Connecticut man is accused of killing his 83-year-old father, marking the first murder the small town has seen in 21 years.

Ridgefield Police responded to a report of a domestic incident at 1am on August 3 at the home of Marc Uricchio, who was pronounced deceased at the scene, authorities said.

His son, Steven James Uricchio, 31, was taken into custody and charged with murder, police said.

He reportedly admitted to officers that he had killed his dad. “I murdered him,” according to a police report obtained by The Hour. Uricchio reportedly paused before adding: “Really, really badly.”

The scene was gruesome. Blood covered the stairs and walls. Authorities also uncovered a filet-style knife — covered in blood — at the top of the stairs. The octogenarian was found lying on the floor of his bedroom — with some of his organs found outside his body. The state’s chief medical examiner’s office determined that the father died from sharp force and blunt force impact to his head, neck, torso and extremities, according to the The News-Times.

After police detained Uricchio, he informed them that he had ingested a quarter of a bottle of Advil that morning. Officers then took him to hospital, where he was evaluated while handcuffed to a hospital bed.

He was later discharged and brought back to the police station, where he was held on $1.5m bond, police said.

What prompted the grisly killing is not immediately clear but police are investigating the incident.

The 31-year-old appeared in court on Monday but did not enter a plea, court records show. In court, his attorney mentioned that his client had a “significant mental health history,” according to The Hour. The judge ordered a mental competency test to see whether Uricchio was fit to stand trial.

His attorney later told reporters that the matter was “a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions.”

The Independent has emailed the attorney for further comment.

“We want to reassure everyone that this was an isolated incident and there is no danger to the public,” police said. This week’s murder marked the first that the 25,000-person town had seen since 2003, Ridgefield Police Captain Jeffrey Raines told The News-Times.

Such an incident “shakes the town up. This is a very safe community,” Raines added.

The town’s First Selectperson Rudy Marconi called the disturbing death “a shocking occasion here. It’s a situation, an incident that we’re not used to.”

“It’s a shocking occasion here. A very sad day for the family, for the individuals involved. The community will move forward,” Marconi added. “My condolences to the rest of the family for whatever they are going through.”

Last year, the town was at the top of the “Safest Cities in America“ list, according to one survey.

When the Norwich Big Lots closes, local shoppers will have to rethink their plans.

The discount retailer recently announced the closure 293 stores across the country. The Norwich one is one of nine closing in Connecticut. The company cited declining sales as the reason for the closure, according to USA Today.

There will be seven locations remaining in Connecticut, with the locations at 940 Silver Lane in East Hartford and 820 Washington St. in Middletown being the closest to the Norwich area. Out of state, the closest remaining locations are 116 E. Main St., Webster, Massachusetts, and 217 S. Main St., Warwick, Rhode Island.

Plenty of regular customers were at the Norwich Big Lots Tuesday afternoon to get their shopping done. While the store still had plenty of items in stock, from everyday goods to fall and Halloween decorations, store signs reminded customers that all sales are final, and that the store wouldn’t take checks.

The staff are kind

Killingly resident Gail Erskine heard about the closing a couple weeks ago. Patty Erskine, Gail Erskine’s sister, said they’ve been shopping at the Norwich Big Lots for a couple years,” whenever we come down to Norwich.” The store has good deals on plenty of things, including the drinks Gail Erskine likes.

“The staff in there are sweet,” Patty Erskine said, “I feel bad for them closing.”

Gail Erskine hopes another good store can fill the void left in the Norwichtown Commons, and that the employees can find jobs, “especially in this economy.”

“I’d be a little depressed at first with losing a job, but my fingers are crossed that they can find a job,” she said.

Bob’s Stores closing all locations in Connecticut, begins clearance sale. What to know

“Can they reconsider?”

Salem resident Jessi Crisman visits the Big Lots weekly because of a good variety with good prices. Crisman and her mother Sunny Crisman are both upset about the Norwich store closing, as “it’s a one-stop shop,” Crisman said.

Online shopping services, including Amazon and Temu, are hurting retail, Sunny Crisman said.

“Everything’s closing, between the banks and the grocery stores; look at Crystal Mall for goodness sake,” she said.

Crisman made the most of the store closing sale, as she loaded her car with plenty of things, including a large pink pillow.

“We just spent a lot of money; can they reconsider when they cash out tonight?” Sunny Crisman said.

Family shopping trip

Voluntown resident Erica Tefft went shopping with her four children on Tuesday. She visits the store a few times a month. While Tefft likes her gardening supplies, it’s a pastime for the family to “find what we find” at the store.

“I’m sad that its closing,” she said. “I didn’t even know until we just pulled in.”

The closest thing to Big Lots Tefft could think of in the area is the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet in Waterford.

“That store is pretty fun too,” she said.