Rhode Island
GoLocalProv | News | EXCLUSIVE: Former RI State Police Major Says Lt. Colonel Told Him “He Thought He Killed” a Man
Sunday, November 13, 2022
PHOTO: Picture
A former main within the Rhode Island State Police (RISP) has mentioned {that a} Lt. Colonel instructed him “he thinks” he killed a person ten years in the past.
GoLocal has completely obtained a replica of an audio report between two former rating officers within the RISP.
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The audio recording, which was taped on January 31, 2022, is a name between former State Police Main Tim Sanzi and then-Lt. Michael Casey.
Casey has since retired.
Sanzi known as Casey to inform him {that a} decade earlier, former Lt. Colonel Joseph Philbin had known as him and admitted to him that he thinks he might have killed somebody.
Philbin retired in 2019, however in August landed a RIPTA safety job.
“I simply wish to inform you this…personally…and, I don’t know if it’s going to assist your case or no matter, however there was one thing that I remembered— that occurred and its, its, that statute of limitation is up on it,” Sanzi mentioned to Casey on the decision.
The reference to the case was that Casey had filed a whistleblower lawsuit towards the State of Rhode Island, the State Police, former Superintendent Jim Manni and Philbin. That case is presently pending in state courtroom.
”He hit a man in a bar in East Greenwich. The man fell down and cut up his head open on the curb. He thinks that he killed him.”
Sanzi mentioned within the name with Casey, “I considered it the opposite evening, and I used to be like, I can’t imagine I didn’t…I forgot all about this, however I believe it was like 2012 or 2013. It was round that point, one evening I get, I’m sitting in my home, and I get a fucking completely panic cellphone name from Joe [Philbin].”
Sanzi mentioned that when Philbin known as him, he sounded very intoxicated.
“He was like, I received one thing to inform you, you possibly can’t inform anyone — and I by no means did,” Sanzi instructed Casey. “I by no means instructed anyone till proper now.”
East Greenwich PHOTO: File
Based on Sanzi, Philbin instructed him that “he hit a man in a bar in East Greenwich. The man fell down and cut up his head open on the curb. He thinks — he thought that he killed him.”
Sanzi, within the name, mentioned to Casey, “Now…I’m certain it occurred…I’m constructive it occurred.”
Sanzi mentioned that the decision from Philbin happened in 2012 or 2013.
Sanzi, within the recording with Casey, mentioned that Philbin instructed him the place the incident happened.
“And [Philbin] was like, oh, I left. It was like this little nut bar, he instructed me the bar, it was this little dump bar down by, you go down the hill, and it’s like a bit neighborhood dump bar,” mentioned Sanzi.
Casey thought the title was the Elms.
Sanzi recounted his dialog with Philbin, “And I used to be like, properly, the place are you now? And he was like, properly, I’m going dwelling. I’m cleansing up… he goes, the rescue got here. He goes, I hit him, and he goes, he fell, and he cracked his head on the fucking curb.”
Sanzi added, “I mentioned Joe…if you happen to’re this upset about it, I believe you gotta do one thing about it. You simply can’t, I don’t know if that is one thing you’re going to only chunk down and stay with it. I mentioned, however, I’m not going to say something both means, however in case you are asking me for recommendation, I mentioned, you bought to kind of, you already know, render assist, do the fitting factor as a result of there may be at all times a proof.”
“I mentioned I have been in conditions the place I’ve needed to defend myself…however he was so freaking out,” Sanzi continued in his dialog with Casey, recounting the cellphone name with Philbin.
Sanzi, within the cellphone name with Casey, mentioned that Philbin known as him again later that night.
“He known as me like 5 hours later — and he was like thanking me and all the pieces. It was actually fucking bizarre, and he was thanking me to the purpose of — he instructed me that he known as that child ‘Brownie,’” Sanzi continued to recount. “That he ‘took care of it’ and the man had been to the hospital…and that he instructed him…nothing’s going to occur.”
The reference to “Brownie” was to then-East Greenwich police officer Stephen Brown, who at present is the Police Chief of East Greenwich. Brown and Philbin have been shut mates whereas attending URI collectively within the late Nineteen Eighties. GoLocal reached out to Brown for remark, he didn’t reply.
“I am constructive it occurred,” mentioned Sanzi. “However who the fuck is aware of?”
“I don’t know what received me eager about it. [It] was truly after I was speaking to Ruggiero, and I didn’t say something to Ruggiero. I’ve by no means mentioned something to anyone about it,” mentioned Sanzi.
The “Ruggiero” Sanzi was referring to is Al Ruggiero, a former RI State Trooper and now Police Chief in North Windfall. The 2 had been at a funeral collectively.
Sanzi mentioned within the recording he had by no means instructed anybody earlier than about what Philbin instructed him a decade earlier.
Oaks Tavern – exterior of the bar the place David Heffron was discovered on March 22, 2012. PHOTO: GoLocal
East Greenwich Dying
Oaks Tavern – exterior of the bar the place David Heffron was discovered on March 22, 2012. PHOTO: GoLocal
GoLocal realized that Sanzi notified the Rhode Island State Police of his remembrance of the decision from Philbin and his cellphone name to Casey.
Casey, after the decision with Sanzi, searched to see if there was a dying in East Greenwich in 2012 or 2013.
On March 22, 2012, a businessman who lived in Kingston was on the Oaks Tavern in East Greenwich.
The person, David Heffron, age 58, was consuming on the bar that afternoon.
The bar is situated proper the place Philbin mentioned the incident occurred, in accordance with Sanzi’s dialog with Casey.
An East Greenwich Police report states, “Whereas Officer Department was trying to establish the unconscious male, later recognized as Heffron, I entered the Oaks Tavern and spoke to the bartender, Krishna Johnson, [and] a feminine patron, REDACTED.”
“Each events said that Mr. Heffron hadn’t been contained in the Oaks Taverns nor did they acknowledge him. Later I spoke to 2 male events exterior the Oaks Tavern. Each male events said they hadn’t seen what occurred nor did they acknowledge Mr. Heffron,” wrote Officer Leif Anderson in his assertion within the police report.
However East Greenwich Police would later be instructed that the bartender was mendacity.
Based on Anderson’s assertion, ”Officer Department and I knocked on the door of REDACTED…she said that the Oaks Tavern worker and patron have been mendacity to us. REDACTED states it was commonplace for patrons to go away the institution extremely intoxicated.”
When police challenged the bartender Johnson’s declare that Heffron was not within the Oaks Tavern she modified her story.
She admitted she served him a number of drinks and that he fell off a stool. Johnson claimed Heffron minimize his ear when he fell.
It was additionally disclosed that the bartender did, in reality, know Heffron, as her ex-boyfriend had labored for Heffron’s firm — RI Hydraulics Co., in North Kingstown
Later, Johnson gave an announcement that Heffron left the Oaks and fell backward and hit his head. She mentioned additionally mentioned nobody was close to him.
Heffron was taken by rescue to Kent County Hospital. He died two days later.
Philbin Refutes Feedback in Name
Philbin, when reached for remark, refuted the allegations made by Sanzi.
“That’s a query I’ll take to my grave. I don’t know why he would say that. I don’t,” mentioned Philbin, when requested why he thought Sanzi would inform Casey what he did.
“Tim was my greatest good friend, my greatest man at my wedding ceremony. The State Police investigated it…it was fully cleared, it was nothing,” mentioned Philbin.
Philbin admitted, nonetheless, that he was not interviewed by the State Police throughout their inside investigation.
“They requested me and I mentioned completely not,” mentioned Philbin. “I simply had sufficient at that time of Mike Casey.”
“I can’t touch upon any of it…it’s all bullshit,” mentioned Philbin.
Coming Quickly: Half II
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