How Could You? Hall of Shame-Tyler Guiliano case-Child Death UPDATED

By on 10-01-2012 in Abuse in adoption, Connecticut, How could you? Hall of Shame, Jeffrey Guiliano, Tyler Guiliano

How Could You? Hall of Shame-Tyler Guiliano case-Child Death UPDATED

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From New Fairfield, Connecticut, adoptee Tyler Guiliano, 15, was shot multiple times by his adoptive father Jeffrey Guiliano in the early morning hours of September 27, 2012. He died at the scene. The story as told by Jeffrey and his sister Alexis Scocozza who lives in the house next door is that Alexis thought her house was being broken into and called Jeffrey. Jeffrey came out of the house with a gun and shot a person on the driveway who was dressed in black and wearing a ski mask. Police were called and when they unmasked the dead person it was Tyler. Some reports say that Tyler was carrying a knife. Other reports say that he was carrying something shiny and that he supposedly lunged at his father.

Fox News says “When police officers arrived, Tyler was lying dead  in the driveway with a knife in his hand, and his father, in a T-shirt     and shorts, was sitting on the grass. Detectives informed the elder Giuliano several hours later that he had shot his son, Vance said.”

“Brett Rasile, a 14-year-old friend, said he and Tyler  were playing an online game called Minecraft while talking and laughing  together via Skype until about 10 p.m. Wednesday, when Tyler said he had  to go to bed. Brett said Tyler wasn’t in any trouble that he knew of,  and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
“Same old Tyler. He was  perfectly fine,” Brett said. “He didn’t really leave any evidence, any hints towards what he would do.”

Tyler’s History

Tyler’s birthmother Tammy Jannuzzi had a first tragedy in 1993 when she” fell asleep while driving under the influence of crack cocaine and crashed into a utility pole in Brookfield. Her 21-month-old daughter died in the accident.”She was pregnant with Tyler’s sister Tyresse at the time. Eventually Tyler and his older sister went to live with their grandmother. After their grandmother was unable to care for them, four years ago when Tyler was in 7th grade, his 5th grade teacher Jeffrey Guiliano and his wife adopted Tyler and his sister. Tammy reports that she did not have much contact with Tyler after he was adopted. Tyler was a “student at New Fairfield High School and a Civil Air Patrol cadet. Some  of those who knew him said he enjoyed spending time with his family and  flying gliders and small planes” according to Fox News. Tyler’s dad is in the military. CAP cadets can be aged 12 to 18 and must maintain a satisfactory academic record. They usually meet for 2 1/2 hours per week and during the summer. Self-disclipline is a key to their program. Tyler had no criminal record.

According to the New York Post, residents “knew Tyler as a  friendly kid who played soccer and wanted to join the Air Force.”

Jeffrey’s History

Jeffrey is a 5th grade teacher and “grew up in the town,  holds summer music and zoology camps for his students and plays guitar  in a local rock band that raises money for charity. He is affectionately known as “Mr. G” around Meeting House Hill School, “according to Fox News.

Investigation

Police are investigating whether the father’s gun was registered. Tyler’s mom said ” “I don’t understand Tyler didn’t yell out and say, ‘Dad, it’s   me!’ ”

She called Jeffrey and his wife “good people” for adopting her son, whom   she hadn’t seen in five years.

“But something has to be done about this,” she said.

“I know he loved my son, but he still killed him. He fired [multiple]   shots. He didn’t give him a chance. He needs to go to jail.” according to New York Post. “Cops are searching Tyler’s computer and room for evidence that could explain his  bizarre actions. “[How about the bizarre actions of gunning someone down in the driveway?]

Additionally, the neighborhood was “already on heightened alert after a burglar assaulted a  woman who walked in on him Tuesday, and some neighbors wondered if that was fresh in Jeffrey Giuliano’s mind.”

News Times says that a friend of Tyler’s “Vasquez’s daughter is friends with [Aunt] Scocozza’s daughter; both are in eighth grade. Tyler’s cousin told her daughter that Tyler was never going to burglarize the house, Vasquez said, but that Tyler was upset about a fight with his aunt that night.

Vasquez said that according to her daughter, the cousin “said (Tyler) wanted to say something, but he was too angry.”

The State Police had no updates on the investigation as of Saturday.

“It’s going to take several weeks for us to finish,” State Police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance said Friday. “There’s no timetable on that. We’ll do it as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

Sources:

Connecticut teen fatally shot by dad called a good kid

[Fox News 9/29/12 by Associated Press]

Slain Connecticut teen ‘seemed normal’ before break-in horror

[New York Post 9/29/12 by Laurie Babcock, Jennifer Bain and Dan Mangan]

Tyler Giuliano was loved in short life

[News Times 9/29/12 by Eileen FitzGerald, Libor Jany, Robert Miller and Dirk Perrefort]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

 Why was 911 not called in this case instead of the brother who she probably knew had a gun? Why multiple gunshots? How does the cousin supposedly know why Tyler was going to the aunt’s house and wouldn’t that have factored into how this was handled?What was really going on here? We hope that the media follows up on this case.

Update: New information was revealed.

“Jeffrey Giuliano, a fifth-grade teacher at a nearby school, and his wife “are not well,” his attorney Gene Zingaro said.

“Their family is hurting,” Zingaro said. “They’ve been broken in half by this unspeakable tragedy, which really is three tragedies all in one.”

“”The family has literally hundreds of questions as to what Tyler was doing, why he was wearing what he was and why he was carrying what he was,” Zingaro said. “Those questions will probably go unanswered forever.”

Giuliano and his wife cooperated immediately with authorities, allowing them to search their home without a warrant and giving a sworn statement, Zingaro said. He called it a justifiable shooting and said Giuliano had a permit to carry the gun.

“In my opinion, Mr. Giuliano will not be charged with any type of offense, weapon or otherwise,” Zingaro said.

Zingaro said when he arrived at the scene shortly after the shooting, Giuliano was inconsolable and physically ill. He said Giuliano cried and vomited.

“He was in disbelief and a state of shock,” Zingaro said.

Shortly after the shooting Giuliano, feared it was his son he had shot, but he didn’t receive confirmation for at least several hours, Zingaro said. The fears, Zingaro said, were based on the fact that Giuliano learned his son was missing and other reasons the attorney would not discuss, citing the ongoing investigation.

Giuliano sustained a back injury during the shooting, Zingaro said, but he would not say if that was because of physical contact with Tyler.”

The children’s biological father was heading to prison, and the children would have gone into an orphanage if the couple, who had three other children, had not adopted them, Zingaro said.” [An ORPHANAGE? This isn’t 1899 anymore. SO now the bio dad is NOT in the military but he is in prison?]

 

Attorney: Conn. Man Who Shot Masked Son Devastated

[ABC News 10/1/12 by John Christoffersen]

“Police responding to a possible burglary attempt pulled up to a house in New Fairfield at 1 a.m. Thursday to find the local 5th grade teacher, dressed in a T-shirt and shorts, sitting on the lawn outside his sister’s home (the two lived next door). Dead in the driveway was his 15-year-old son, Tyler.

Lieutenant J. Paul Vance said that Tyler was found with obvious gunshot wounds and was holding a weapon. Police later specified that the “weapon in possession of the deceased at the time of this incident was determined by troopers to be a knife.” [Strange way of saying that. It had to be determined that it was a knife?]

“We received a call reporting possible burglary and shots fired,” Vance told ABC News. “He was shot multiple times, but we still don’t know the number of times or the location.”

 

Police: Masked Boy Killed by Dad Had Knife

[ABC News 9/29/12 by Kevin Dolak and Christina Ng]

Update 2: Still no talk about any charges being made against the adoptive father. The slow evidence-gathering in this case is unacceptable.

The lawyer representing the New Fairfield teacher who shot his 15-year-old  son to death last month will meet Tuesday with a State  Police detective to turn over the boy’s cellphone and iPod.

New Haven attorney Eugene  Zingaro also said investigators will visit the late Tyler  Giuliano’s Meeting  House Hill Circle home later this week to examine the family computer as  they continue to search for clues that might explain what the teenager was doing  outside his aunt’s home when he was shot.

“They will be looking at the computer, but I’m not sure they will be able to  determine which websites he visited because the computer was used by all seven  family members,” Zingaro said.

Jeffrey  Giuliano, a popular fifth-grade teacher, shot Tyler just after 1 a.m. Sept.  27 after confronting him outside Alexis Scocozza’s house, which is adjacent to  the Giuliano residence on Meeting House Hill Circle.

Tyler was dressed in dark clothing and a ski mask and was carrying a knife  when he advanced toward Jeffrey Giuliano in a threatening manner, prompting him  to shoot, Giuliano told state police.

Zingaro said the Giulianos gave him Tyler’s electronic devices over the  weekend. The iPod the teen owned was capable of sending texts and instant  messages, which will be reviewed by investigators, he said.

Zingaro said the Giulianos “are continuing the grieving process, and to a  certain extent that will never go away. They have fallen back on their faith and  the support of their many friends.”

Zingaro also said Jeffrey Giuliano, who is on leave from his teaching post,  will not likely remain out of work for an extended period.”

Police to get teen’s cell phone, iPod

[Connecticut Post 10/9/12 by John Pirro]

Another media story discussed that the cousin knew that Tyler wanted to confront the aunt, so is she not cooperating in the investigation?

Update 3/February 13, 2013

(1) Wife calls 911 after she hears shots

The wife of the man who fatally shot his adopted son last week was the first  to dial police in the frantic moments after the shooting, according to a  recording of the call provided by officials.

 

Her voice fraught with concern, Carolyn  Giuliano told the dispatcher that her husband had gone next door to check on  a disturbance at his sister’s house. Moments later, she heard gunshots, she  said.

 

The call to 911 came shortly after 1 a.m. on Sept. 27.

 

“I don’t know. My husband ran next door to his sister’s house to help her,”  she said to the dispatcher. “Send someone NOW.”

 

Little new information on the incident emerged from the recording of the  calls to 911, but the sense of urgency and emotion in the unfolding tragedy was  palpable.

 

“Someone’s been shot. They were trying to break into my house and I called my  brother next door,” Alexis Scocozza said on another 911 call. “I don’t know if  someone shot my brother or not. I don’t know what’s going on.”

 

Her call came shortly after Carolyn Giuliano’s, but the exact time was  unclear.

 

The recordings show that “probably five or six” calls came into the dispatch  center from people who heard “multiple” shots fired, and that the police arrived  in a matter of minutes.

 

Much of the conversation on the recordings is between emergency personnel,  one of whom noted that one person on the scene was “DOA” with a gunshot wound to  the head.

 

The discovery that it was 15-year-old Tyler Giuliano who was unknowingly shot  and killed by his father, Jeffrey Giuliano, was not included in the emergency  call recordings.

 

Town officials released the 16 separate brief recordings Friday in response  to a Freedom of Information Act request from The News-Times.

 

On that night last week, Scocozza had called her brother, who lived next door  on Meeting  House Hill Circle, because she said she feared someone was trying to break  into her house.

 

Scocozza told the dispatcher that she had cracked open the door to see what  was happening outside, but that her brother had “screamed for me to stay  inside.” The dispatcher later described Scocozza as “hysterical” on the  phone.

 

“I’ve got to go outside,” she told the dispatcher, crying.

 

“I want you to stay inside and keep the door locked,” the dispatcher  ordered.

 

“Please hurry, please hurry,” she sobbed.

 

The dispatcher tried to assure her that police were on the scene.

 

Initially, emergency personnel were unsure whether it was the brother or the  “intruder” who was shot.

 

Questions remain in the incident, including why Tyler Giuliano was wearing a  ski mask and dark clothing, carrying a knife and other items, outside his aunt’s  house after midnight?

 

As the close-knit community comes together to grieve, detectives continue to  try to piece together events leading up to the tragedy.

 

State police spokesman Lt. J.  Paul Vance said Friday that he would not comment on the tape until  authorities complete their investigation.

 

“There’s a lot of work behind the scenes that people, attorneys included,  don’t know is going on,” he said.

 

Jeffrey Giuliano told detectives that he shot the masked intruder after the intruder lunged at him with a knife, investigators said. Only later, when paramedics arrived to take the body away, did he learn the victim was his son.

 

Police found Tyler Giuliano sprawled in the driveway with a gunshot wound to  the head, according to one of the 911 recordings.

 

Gene  Zingaro, Giuliano’s lawyer, said Friday that after the shooting the father  had gone back to his house, “at which point his wife came out to check on his  condition.”

 

“The fact that he retreated to his own property is relevant, in that Mr.  Giuliano had a fear after the shooting that No. 1, it is possible that the  intruder could get up and harm him in some way and 2, he wasn’t really safe  until he got back to his property,” Zingaro said. “The intruder was wearing a  ski mask, so the head injury would not have been as easy to detect, especially  at night.”

 

He said that Jeffrey and Carolyn Giuliano had tried to return their family to  some semblance of normalcy. Several of their children had gone back to school,  though Jeffrey Giuliano remains on paid leave from his teaching job at a local  elementary school, Zingaro said.

 

“They obviously understand what’s going on. They support their father in any  way that they can,” Zingaro said. “Since there are six of them, the healing  process is going at different rates.”

 

He has said that investigators had asked permission to pore through computer  and phone records for any material that might shed light on Tyler Giuliano’s  state of mind on that night.

 

Giuliano and his wife have cooperated with detectives since the beginning,  the attorney said. No criminal charges have been filed.”

911 tapes released in fatal shooting of son

[News Times 10/5/12 by Libor Jany]

(2) Delay in investigation for a few months; gun returned to adoptive father; father returns to teaching

On an otherwise tranquil September night, Jeffrey  Giuliano received a phone call from his sister who lived next door, saying  that someone was trying to force his way into her home.

 

Just a few hours earlier, [HOURS? This does not make sense] there had been a reported sexual assault during a  home invasion, leaving the town frazzled and jumpy. No arrests were made, and it  occurred to Giuliano that the suspect in that case may be lurking outside his  sister’s house on Meeting  House Hill Circle, according to his attorney. So, he grabbed his handgun and  dashed out into the night, investigators have said.

 

As Giuliano approached his sister’s house, he saw a ski-masked figure groping  around in the dark for the spare key she always kept on the front porch, said  his lawyer, Eugene  Zingaro. He said that his client called out to the figure “two separate  distinct commands to cease and desist,” with no response. Instead, the person  turned and started toward Giuliano, holding what he thought was a gun, the  attorney said.

 

Giuliano’s private security training kicked in, Zingaro said, and he raised  the gun and fired several shots. Then, he sat down on the lawn and waited for  police, who had been called by Giuliano’s sister.

 

The responding officers checked on the figure’s condition: He was dead. When  they peeled back his mask they discovered the victim was Giuliano’s own  15-year-old adopted son, Tyler.

 

In the months since then, investigators have interviewed witnesses and pored  over the family’s Internet and phone records, Zingaro said, for any shred of  evidence that might explain what Tyler was doing on his aunt’s porch in the  middle of the night.

 

In a town where the last murder occurred in 2002, the shooting has spurred a  wave of speculation as to Tyler Giuliano’s motives.

 

Zingaro said that Jeffrey Giuliano, who has since gone back to his teaching  job, has not spoken about the incident to anyone outside of his inner circle and  to detectives.

 

“The fact that he’s back on a schedule brings some amount of normalcy to his  life, although it’s going to be some amount of time before (he really gets back  to normal).

 

“The holidays bring with it a certain amount of sadness and joy … he’s  still doing a lot of the first things without his son … the first Saturday,  the first Tuesday night,” Zingaro said.

 

“Because, there is a faint possibility of charges, he can’t speak in public  about the incident,” he continued. “If the state body decides he should be  charged with any kind of crime, he is going to defend himself against those  charges.”

 

Investigators have returned the gun used in the shooting to Jeffrey Giuliano,  his attorney said.

 

With State  Police tied up with the investigation of the Dec. 14 Sandy Hook shootings,  their probe of the New Fairfield case is likely to be delayed for months,  Zingaro said.

 

While both shootings reignited the gun-control debate, Zingaro said it would  be dangerous to draw any parallels between the two incidents.

 

“I don’t think they could be more opposite. One was a justified shooting, in  my opinion, by Mr. Giuliano. And the other was a horrific, tragic murder of 26  people,” he said. “Mr. Giuliano was a lawful, responsible gun owner. When he  retrieved his gun, he had to do so from a gun safe.”

 

Lawyer: Giuliano shooting probe likely delayed

[Greenwich Time 12/26/12 by Libor Jany]

Update 4: No Charges will be filed against Jeffrey!

See the report here.

It says that 11 bullets were fired. Only 3 hit Tyler! “A total of 11 bullet strikes were noted, excluding strikes to T.G.’s body.”

“A popular fifth-grade teacher will not face prosecution for fatally shooting a knife-wielding prowler in a ski mask who turned out to be his 15-year-old son, a prosecutor announced Friday.

Jeffrey Giuliano reasonably believed the masked person “presented him with the threat of imminent death or great bodily harm” and that he needed to use deadly force to defend himself, State’s Attorney Stephen Sedensky III wrote.

Investigators were unable to determine why the boy, Tyler Giuliano, was outside after midnight wearing a ski mask and carrying a flip-style knife with the blade open and a roll of duct tape under his arm.

Giuliano’s attorney, Gene Zingaro, said he did not expect Giuliano to be charged.

“Obviously we’re relieved,” Zingaro said. “That being said, today is not a happy day for the Giuliano family. We expected this result from the beginning, because we always felt like he was justified in his actions that night.”

Giuliano went outside his New Fairfield home with a gun around 1 a.m. on Sept. 27, 2012, when his sister called to say someone was trying to break into her house next door, Sedensky said. On her front porch, Giuliano saw a person he didn’t recognize who was dressed all in black, wearing a ski mask over his face and was manipulating the lock on the front door in an apparent attempt to gain entry, according to the report.

The person jumped off the porch and proceeded down the walkway and became hidden by an SUV parked in the driveway, the report said. As Giuliano walked toward the side of the vehicle, the person came across the front of the vehicle, investigators said.

Giuliano yelled “freeze!” and noticed a small, metallic object in the person’s hand that he believed was a gun or knife, according to the report. He yelled “drop it!” but the person growled in an aggressive manner and stepped toward Giuliano, who was about 44 feet away, the report said.

Giuliano fired seven times and yelled to his sister to call 911.

Tyler suffered three gunshot wounds. Giuliano was told six hours later while being treated for shock in a hospital that the person he shot was his son, Zingaro said.

“Under these circumstances, where Giuliano observed a disguised subject, who had been attempting to break into his sister’s home just moments earlier, aggressively advancing towards him armed with a gun or a knife, he reasonably believed that the subject presented the imminent threat of death or great bodily harm and that the use of deadly force was necessary to defend himself,” Sedensky wrote. “Finally, because of the close distance between the subject and himself, it would not have been possible for Giuliano to know whether he could retreat with complete safety to avoid shooting the subject.”

The report didn’t speculate on what Tyler was doing outside his aunt’s house dressed in what investigators characterized as clothing consistent with someone about to engage in illegal activity. He is not a suspect in any other crime and had no drugs in his system, the report said.

Giuliano and his wife adopted Tyler and his sister about four years before the shooting. The children would have gone into foster care if the couple, who had three other children, had not adopted them, Zingaro said.

Tyler and his adoptive father shared a love of music and the Civilian Air Patrol, in which Tyler served as a cadet and enjoyed flying gliders and small aircraft, Zingaro said.

Giuliano, affectionately known around Meeting House Hill School as Mr. G, holds summer music and zoology camps for his students and plays guitar in a local rock band that raises money for charity, schools superintendent Alicia Roy said at the time.”

No Charges Against Connecticut Man Who Killed Son[ABC 3/14/14 By John Christoffersen, Associated Press]

“No criminal charges will be filed against a father in New Fairfield who shot his adopted son in 2012.

The State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Danbury released its report Friday and found that Jeffrey Giuliano, 44, was justified in shooting 15-year-old Tyler Giuliano on Sept. 27, 2012.

The report said a female resident of Meeting House Hill Circle heard noises around 1 a.m. that led her to believe someone was breaking into her home.

She woke her brother Jeffrey Giuliano, who lived next door.

The report said Giuliano was aware of a recent sexual assault reported in town, so he retrieved a .45-caliber Glock handgun from his gun safe. Investigators said he had a permit for the weapon.

The lighting in the area was dim due to the lack of streetlights, according to investigators.

Jeffrey Giuliano observed someone on his sister’s front porch but did not recognize who it was.

The person was dressed in all black and wearing a ski mask over his face. He was also manipulating the lock on the front door.

The person then became aware of Jeffrey Giuliano and walked down a walkway where he was hidden by a vehicle.

According to the report, Jeffrey Giuliano ordered the person to freeze. Jeffrey Giuliano, who was about 44 feet away, noticed a small, metallic object in the person’s hand.

The person growled in an aggressive manner and stepped toward Jeffrey Giuliano.

The report said Jeffrey Giuliano, believing his life was in danger, fired his gun seven times.[ACTUALLY it was 11 times, according to the actual report]. He heard the echo of his shots and believed the person returned fire.[RIIIIGHT!!!]

When emergency crews arrived, they identified the person as Tyler Giuliano.[Uh, the previous report say that he wasn’t identified for 6 hours!]

Autopsy results said the manner of his death was multiple gunshot wounds. He had no drugs in his system, according to the report.

Investigators said Jeffrey Giuliano fully cooperated with the investigation.

State police said they were unable to determine what Tyler Giuliano was doing at his aunt’s house.

However, the state’s attorney said Jeffrey Giuliano reasonably believed that Tyler Giulano presented him the threat of imminent death. He believed deadly force was necessary.

The state’s attorney also said that it would not have been possible for him to know whether he could retreat with complete safety to avoid the shooting.”

No charges for New Fairfield father who killed son[WFSB 3/14/14 by Rob Polansky]

“Authorities have found that popular elementary school teacher Jeffrey Giuliano believed he was in imminent danger when he fatally shot a would-be intruder he later learned was his 15-year-old son.

A report released Friday by Danbury State’s Attorney Stephen Sedensky found because “Giuliano’s use of deadly force was justified,” no criminal charges will be filed in Tyler Giuliano’s death.

New Haven attorney Gene Zingaro, who represents Giuliano, said his client was relieved by the prosecutor’s decision.

“It’s an outcome we’ve always expected,” Zingaro said. “He copes with this daily with the belief that he was acting legally and morally in a justified manner. It gives him some solace, but it will never bring back his son.”

Giuliano, who has a background in personal and corporate security, had a permit to carry a gun and was “a responsible gun owner,” according to his attorney.

The shooting unfolded during the early morning hours of Sept. 27, 2012, when Giuliano, a teacher at Meeting House Hill School, got a call from his sister, who lived next door, that someone was trying to break into her house.

Giuliano, according to police reports, took his handgun out of his safe, went outside, and saw man dressed in black and wearing a black ski mask trying to get into the front door of his sister’s house.

Giuliano confronted the would-be intruder in the driveway, and the masked assailant began to advance towards him with a metal object in his hand, according to the report released Friday.

The lighting was too dim for Giuliano to determine if the object was a knife or a gun, the report states, but it was later found to be a knife.

The report also noted that Tyler kept advancing towards his father after the elder Giuliano instructed the teenager to “freeze” and to “drop it.”

Jeffrey Giuliano “was well within reach of a potential bullet strike if the subject had been armed with a gun and fired at him.”

While Friday’s report provides additional details about the morning of the shooting, little evidence has emerged about why Tyler was attempting to break into his aunt’s house.

The report notes only that Tyler was carrying a roll of Duct Tape under his arm.

“It is certainly troubling that Tyler was carrying a roll of Duct Tape and a knife while he was trying to break into a woman’s home,” Zingaro said. “And while that could lead to all sorts of speculation, I don’t want to go any further than that right now.”

The attorney said it is also important to note that Sedensky stated in his report that a man wearing a black ski mask while holding a knife “is consistent with someone about to engage in illegal activity.”

Zingaro said while the opinion of the state’s attorney is credible, “any speculation as to what Tyler’s intentions were that night is just that, speculation.”

He added that there was no rift between Tyler and his aunt or any other family member.

Friends of Tyler Giuliano have painted a picture of a mild-mannered teenager who loved flying and who, like many young people his age, was only beginning to find himself.

They say that while he had an unsettled childhood, he never had a predilection for violence.

Giuliano had adopted Tyler and his older sister about five years prior to the shooting, Zingaro said.

“(Tyler) was living in a troubled home situation. He didn’t have a lot of adult supervision, he didn’t have a lot of guidance or moral support, and he started spending time with the Giulianos on an almost daily basis,” Zingaro said.

He noted that when the state attempted to take custody of Tyler and his sister, Giuliano agreed to take in the children as a foster parent and the situation eventually led to a legalized adoption.

“Giuliano is doing the best he can coping with the situation,” Zingaro said. “He responded to cries of help and believed his life was in danger.””

ProsecutorFather-son Shooting Justified[New times 3/14/14 By Dirk Perrefort]

24 Comments

  1. As far as “father in military”, I know of other families who have told a child this trying to spare them the stigma of having an incarcerated parent.

    • A, thanks for sharing that perspective. That could be the case. This part confused me since he was supposed to be a Civil Air Patrol cadet BECAUSE of his father’s military experience. That is on my list of things that I would like to know which includes why Tyler was on the driveway, why he was wearing what he was wearing, the whole situation surrounding the knife, how the cousin knew (but seemingly the dad and aunt did not know) that Tyler wanted to say something to the aunt and the adoptive dad’s back injury.

  2. I don’t see many updates on this when I google it. The police recently asked for Tyler’s iphone and computer. Why so long in getting around to this? Where are the supporters of Tyler’s rights. If the media were to spotlight this case maybe enough pressure would be on the police to bring some charges against the step-father.

    • Looks like that update is from this morning. Thanks for the heads up. We will add that shortly. I also am baffled that so many days have gone by before looking at this critical evidence. It is important to distinguish that Jeffrey is the adoptive father, not step father as postplacement followup in foster care adoptions is nonexistent but really needs to be part of the child welfare reforms.

  3. I am a resident in the town where this tragedy happened…let me stress TRADGEDY! I’m appalled that the angle chosen here is because Tyler was adopted. That has no bearing on this tragedy. The guilianos took two children into their home when they could no longer be cared for by their grandmother. Their character should not be in question here. Our entire town is still reeking from this. Everyone wants to know what exactly happened – and those answers may never be found. But do NOT turn this into an adoption issue! Tyler was very much loved by his family and his community-shame on you for making this story appear otherwise.

    • Do Not Judge, hilarious name you have as you are judging me for posting an ADOPTEE CHILD DEATH and for questioning why an adoptive dad GUNNED DOWN his child.I guess for you it is “move along mothing to see here”. This most definitely has to do with adoption and postplacement-the lack of any kind of accountability, checks or resources postplacement.Something was wrong with the child, adoptive dad or both and possibly other family members too.

      We only cover cases that are related to adoption and foster care or other state care in this column.

      You don’t know what happened yet we should not “judge” their “character?” Because gunning down your child is so commonplace, normal and shows “love”?We don’t pretend to know the reasoning behind either Tyler’s or the adoptive dad’s actions-we are reporting what the news says and asking questions.We will continue to follow the story and ask whatever questions we have.

  4. This is rediculous. You are portraying this story in a way that is convenient to your cause. There is no evidence that the father in this case did anything more than defend his family. Why did his son have a ski mask and knife? This is the question that needs to be persued and answered. You are worse than some of the ambulance chasing lawyers out there because you are using a tragedy to push your agenda. And to say you are “reporting” the news and asking questions, your questions definitely have an agenda behind them and you are pushing for public outrage in a case that should have public sympathy.

    • You clearly did not read my response nor did you look at any other case in our How Could You? Archive.This has to do with postplacement, which encompasses the entire adoptive family and bio family after termination of parental rights. Regardless of whether the issue is with the child or parent or other family members there currently is no postplacement monitoring for this type of adoptive placement and we argue that there needs to be. All of the cases in the archive address one of 9 issues or a combination of them. You can read about the 9 pieces on our home page in the About us and REFORM puzzle.This case may also have to do with homestudy issues. Homestudies are mere checklists and lack standardization in training of those who conduct homestudies and the homestudy itself.

      As for no evidence that the father did anything other than to defend the family? Did you read that they didn’t even look for critical evidence for days? Why would that be?Why did the adoptive cousin say that she thought Tyler was going to confront the aunt? To act like no one in this family knew anything about what was troubling Tyler is naive at best.Again, we have asked why Tyler was doing what he was doing, including in my last comment and my first comment on this post.

  5. You may say this is about postplacement but that is NOT the arguement you put forth in your “article”. And you are correct I didn’t read any of the other “articles” because I have hit my limit on propaganda for the day after finishing your post. I was looking for an update on this tragic case and that is the only reason I stumbled on your site. If you are truly seeking to help adopted children and be an advocate for their rights then you should choose the cases more carefully (unfortunately there are plenty of examples that you could use without bastardizing a tragedy) and frame your arguement more effectively. You should be ashamed.

    • We don’t choose which ones to publish . We publish ALL cases that we can find in which adoptees or wards of the state are involved in cases and that includes when adoptees are the perpetrators.This is not propaganda. Adoptive parents and foster parents are supposed to be screened properly and are supposed to be a safe haven for the children that they are entrusted to care for.Yet we have 100s of cases in the past 2 years that have issues that could have been prevented if any ofthe 9 things we discuss were reformed. This differs from biological children being abused because there are no checks on people to conceive.

      As for rights, did Tyler not have rights? That is your argument for why his case shouldn’t be among the others?

      As for my “arguements[sic]” here is what I said “How about the bizarre actions of gunning someone down in the driveway?” I stand by that. It is NOT NORMAL to run out of your house with a gun and shoot someone on a driveway. Also I said “Why was 911 not called in this case instead of the brother who she probably knew had a gun? Why multiple gunshots? How does the cousin supposedly know why Tyler was going to the aunt’s house and wouldn’t that have factored into how this was handled?What was really going on here? We hope that the media follows up on this case.”These are reasonable questions.I stand by those as well.

      I also responded to some person interviewed that if he wasn’t placed in this family, he was going to an orphanage. That goes to show that people aren’t too bright. Also, the story changed on his father and it may be a valid correction but the question still needs to be asked.my comment was “An ORPHANAGE? This isn’t 1899 anymore. SO now the bio dad is NOT in the military but he is in prison?”I continue to stand by these comments as well.

  6. You are correct, it is totally unacceptable to shoot someone in your driveway when they are dressed in black holding a knife. We should instead invite them in for dinner and a healthy debate about the pros and cons of weilding weapons on someone else’s property. Then you could ask why this father allowed his family to be murdered, raped, etc. I bet you are against the second amendment…

    • You are very strange and again are completely missing the point of everything that I have said-what was going on postplacement with Tyler, the dad, the aunt, the cousin. You keep arguing that no one had a clue of something wrong and the article even says that the cousin knew something was wrong.

      And by the way, I am FOR the second amendment. Lame try there. You certainly haven’t been able to answer the valid questions that I posed in my post. You obviously think that we should ask no questions at all about this. Too bad. We will continue to follow this case.

  7. I can’t answer any of your questions because of the way they are posed ask a direct question because I have missed your point. Here are my direct questions:
    1.”This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption” What are these actions as shown by this case?
    2.“[How about the bizarre actions of gunning someone down in the driveway?]” What is bizarre about shooting an individual with a weapon dressed in black with a ski mask on (other than the actions of the dec3eased)?
    3. “Tyler was never going to burglarize the house, Vasquez said, but that Tyler was upset about a fight with his aunt that night.” Why the knife then? What can we assume about his intentions? Is he the victim or could the aunt have been?
    4. “How does the cousin supposedly know why Tyler was going to the aunt’s house and wouldn’t that have factored into how this was handled?What was really going on here?”
    Are you saying the cousin withheld information? I don’t understand what this is getting at.
    5.”Update 2: Still no talk about any charges being made against the adoptive father. The slow evidence-gathering in this case is unacceptable.” What charge do you want filed?
    6. Do you believe the father in this case murdered his son in cold blood, and if not what are you getting at? What does this have to do with postplacement?

    • I don’t expect *you* to have the answers to the questions I pose. Those are the questions I would like to see answered be it from people who were there, the DA, the press or anyone else in the know.

      1. Our intro explains that we will cover heinous actions in foster care child welfare and adoption in this recurring column. We purposefully worded it this way because we report in real time as much as possible so we don’t always know all the specific people who have dropped the ball in these cases.If someone is injured or killed or stolen from, someone is at fault.It didn’t just happen randomly. Sometimes we may never know all the specifics and most cases will take years. We only can describe the actions that are published and we have-a boy was shot dead in his driveway by his adoptive dad and there were *multiple* gunshot wounds and later a report of back injury on the dad.Yes we gave the description of what Tyler was wearing and carrying, which is odd and that is why we too ask why was he dressed like this. We will publish any update we can find.

      2. Bizarre is my description. I didn’t say that everyone on earth has to agree with my qualification. I do not feel that it is usual or ordinary to confront people with a gun outside when everyone is in a locked home. Again I say that after reading that the cousin was aware of a possible impending confrontation. I have no clue what that confrontation would be about. I think the usual thing to do is call the cops and let them handle what was going on. There is a gap of what happened from the “breaking in” and Tyler being on the driveway. Also, if I was worried about an intruder in the area, I would check on other members of my family in my own house to see if they are ok and get them to the safest place in my house, but that didn’t happen here-he didn’t check to see if Tyler was safe within his own house it doesn’t seem.

      3.I don’t know what his intention was. That is why we have asked questions. Was he going to pick a lock with a knife?threaten?smash open a window…with a knife?vandalize? rob? take back something of his? kill?defend himself?There are many possibilities.The relationship with the aunt has not been explained.

      4. same as #3 That is an explosive report, I agree, but that is what the journalist is saying-that the cousin knew something.That concerns me a lot.

      5. I haven’t seen the results of the evidence gathering so I have no idea what the charges would be but most people who kill people do get charged with a crime. Possiblities may be in the negligent homicide realm or assault. What was on the computer and whether or not family members knew of the confrontation are key parts of evidence. That is why I asked the questions. I am not giving the answers, just asking the questions.
      6. Postplacement-again we dont have enough information to say, but possiblitiies are that Tyler needed psychological help but none was given and there could be many reasons for this. Another could be on the part of the dad or whatever was going on in the relationship of the aunt to Tyler was. The placement of a child in a new home is a serious thing and adjustments by all parties can be difficult.

  8. Dear readers, admin, and commentators:

    I stumbled across this story while reading about the elementary school shooting. Immediately, when I read the title “Connecticut Father Mistakenly Shoots Son in Ski Mask …” I knew something wasn’t right. I FIRMLY believe that this story is not even close to complete.

    I’ve tried to find updates on this story as well, but can’t find any. I do not understand why there are no details on it and why it was dismissed so quickly/easily. Every item should be accounted for including Tyler’s mask’s origins, clothing, knife, etc.

    I will go ahead and say it for everyone here: I believe the father’s story does NOT add up. It’s way too perfect. The first and most important thing would be to explain the “motive” for Tyler to break into the house, to “attack” his adopted father, etc. the father’s story is just too textbook for me to accept. Also his actions are not the actions of a reasonable person’s of his background. First, he is a father. Fathers protect their families and would check on the members of their household before investigating something dangerous. Second, he was supposedly a trained marksman and trained to shoot. So where we’re his skills that night? Shouldn’t a trained gun expert know how to handle this situation without having to make 5 shots? Shouldn’t this expert know how to gauge distance and when he is I’m true danger? Third, where are the neighbor’s testimonials? Did they not hear the father “shout” at his son before he fired? (Probably because there were none) Nothing about the story seems reasonable. The kid was described as normal. He was playing a video game the night it happened. Only an insane kid could play a video game with his friend knowing afterwards he was going to commit a heinous crime!! Unless he was diagnosed with mental illness that just doesn’t add up.

    I don’t understand why the autopsy report has not been released! I just don’t understand any if it!! And I’m pissed that no one is asking these questions and that those that do get persecuted for it! I would like to know what members of the family, town, school, etc really believe/thoughts etc.

    This case needs further investigation!! If the father is to be let off that easily, then the son’s motives for his actions need to be explained. It sounds like the father was just way too thorough, so thorough in his coverup that it will ultimately lead to his capture, arrest, and conviction (hopefully!).

    • Will, Thanks for finding us, reading and commenting. Your questions are similar to our questions about what happened outside. From public media accounts, Tyler was a disciplined kid who was in the Civil Air Patrol, which requires many skills and teaches discipline. Nothing has been released yet about mental health issues. In fact, what was released included issues with the aunt next door. It is eery that both the school shooting and this one are in the same state.

  9. Has the police investigation been completed yet? I’ve been to the local paper many times and never saw a follow up. I was surprised how fast the family lawyer got there in the middle of the night and noticed that he did all of the talking from then on. He took the phone and computer to the police rather than the father. I’m thinking he didn’t want to give the police a chance to ask the father anymore questions.
    and he was quick to tell the media that no charges would be brought against his client. It raised questions in my mind as to a possible coverup. Anyone else get that impression?

    • I found another article from later 2012. At that time, the police investigation was going to be delayed a few months. We will keep checking up on the case and add any other updates we find.

    • This is no cut and dry self defense. That family knew who was outside of that sisters house. I understand that murderer is back to word, if it were me I would be in therapy if I felt so bad that I killed my son “by accident”. this guy has a lot to hide and I hope all of the Investigators get to work on it, he is guilty of murder. Nothing adds up. And why would a lawyer show up in the middle of the night if he didn’t think he was in the right? He’s as crooked as a witches nose, and obviously his lawyer friend is no better. I also keep checking the papers, and its ;ike this is swept under the carpet. Tyler was half African American, maybe Al Sharpton can find out the answers this town deserves.

  10. It makes me sick reading all of the “DIFFERENT” scenarios as to whqt hqppeen on the night of Tyler’s MURDER. First after thooting he goes to his own home because he didn’t know if the perp was going to get up and hurt him, he wanted to be home to be safe? Then you read that he was squatting along side the body after the shooting and that is where the police found Guliano? First it was a shiny object, then it was a gun that Guliano saw. Then it was the sister caalled because someone was outside of her house, knowing something odd had just happened in that toen, why did she call her brother and NOT 911. Then Guliano reports that it was a verbal confrontation, hmm, did he not know HIS sons voice? And at one point early on, didn’t the family friend “the Lawyer” state on record that Guliano was a credited marksman? hmmm, then how come sooo many shots were fired? If you want to stop someone, “ig you are a great marksman” why shoot in the head? How about the hand, or the knee. Early on reports said how “close” that Tyler and the Father were, hmmm again. if so close, then why didn’t Tyler tell the PERFECT DADDY about the so called problem with the cousin? Too much time lapsed, Tyler was innocent. That father, adopted or not, MURDERED ATyler, and thats that. Police need to get back on this . My heart goes out to Newtown, please believe me, however there is still a case here that needs to e taken care of. Guliano is GUILTY of MURDER, notyhing less will be acceptable.

  11. oh yea, and where are the toxicology reports? According to a newspaper article, they were completed and available in February? How about the autopsy report stating HOW MANY shots entered Tyler’s body. Hmmm how about “where is Tyler”” Cremated or buried? Nothing like denying those who loved Tyler the right to say goodbye to him. People hide theings that have things to hide.

  12. I am also shocked by the lack of reporting in this case. This was a totally avoidable tragedy. If a dangerous person is outside, you can lock the door, call the police and stay indoors. Only a vigilante who feels justified in taking down “bad guys” and is a bit trigger-happy and shoots blindly into the night can make a mistake like this. (By the way, I am still confused about what distance Tyler was from the shooter. How could he see the knife? How did Tyler know his Dad was going to shoot him?) Justifiable homicide is always murky territory, and often politically charged. This was a criminal homicide.

  13. I was a friend of Tyler through Middle School, through High School. I remember Tyler as “Janooch” a spin from his original name Januzzi. I remember the day in 8th grade the adoption papers were signed and how incredibly happy he was to have a family like the Guilianos. I remember his Grilled Cheese pin he proudly wore on his grey hoodie and how months later he’d get antsy about his new Parents demand on checking homework. I remember him as an air cadet, Theresa’s brother, a boy with a newly hit growth spurt, a friend.
    I remember passing him in the hallway a week prior catching his eye and laughing about band practice. I remember being in Modern Euro and exchanging small talk with a mutual friend. He informed me how Januzzi had been outve school sick for a day or two, and how a crazy rumor had began. We then both texted Tyler’s phone to see how he was doing. I remember later hearing the news.
    I remember being in the same Mod.Euro class not too long later, in a lock down for 3-4 hours, my teacher receiving a phone call, running from the room. She just lost her niece to the Sandy Hook tragedy as we all sat there under our desks.
    I remember the quiet of New Fairfield halls and the loud weeping coming from a back room in the library where greif counselors were provided to help both with Tyler and soon again for SH.

    This website is an absolute disgrace to the death Of Tyler. Nobody will ever know what happened that night. Nobody will know what went through either persons mind, or mouth. Mr. G is a kind soul. Every student remembers him as the cool 5th grade homeroom everyone wanted because he had both class snakes and a tarantula. He made an effort to make all of his classes fun and hands on.
    This website mocks the death of the innocent for you know nothing. You know nothing of Tylers life.
    You mention friends like Brett as if he just part of evidence to why you believe this was “criminal”. Brett is a good honest boy whod lose his father months after losing his friend, and enduring the lockdown of SH as well. He does not deserve to be used in your disgusting bias
    Your facts are wrong,
    the media is wrong
    your opinions go un supported and remain pathetic.
    I suggest you remove this awful site. People whove gone through so much DO NOT deserve to be criticized by outsiders who know of NOTHING
    our town has been through.

    • If the media coverage of the incident is wrong, why aren’t you yelling at them, rather than demanding that THIS entire site be taken down? That makes no sense.

      All this site does is relay stories about issues related to adoption and foster care. Period.

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