Labor Day stabbing death a suicide

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NAUGATUCK — The Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has confirmed that the Labor Day stabbing death of a Wolcott woman was indeed a suicide.

At 11:42 p.m. on Sept. 7, medical responders discovered Julie Swoszowski, 31, on the living room floor of her ex-boyfriend’s house at 65 Village Circle; she was bleeding profusely from her neck and throat and was struggling to breathe. An ambulance transported her to Waterbury Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Police found Julie Swoszowski's car smashed into the garage of her ex-boyfriend's home at 65 Village Circle, where they also discovered the 31-year-old woman bleeding from stab wounds. Swoszowski died from her injuries. The Office of the Chief Medical examiner confirmed Friday that her death was a suicide.
Police found Julie Swoszowski's car smashed into the garage of her ex-boyfriend's home at 65 Village Circle, where they also discovered the 31-year-old woman bleeding from stab wounds. Swoszowski died from her injuries. The Office of the Chief Medical examiner confirmed Friday that her death was a suicide.

In a statement released the next day, the Naugatuck Police Department said a preliminary investigation by its detective division and the State Police Major Crime unit indicated “the stab wounds may have been self-inflicted.” Police also found Swoszowski’s Volkswagon Jetta smashed into the garage of the home, which is owned by Paul Ayoub, 47.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, which said initially it could take as many as 12 weeks to determine whether Swoszowski’s death was a suicide, confirmed to Citizen’s News Friday that it was. NPD spokesman Lt. Robert Harrison was not on duty Friday, and a phone message left with a detective was not immediately returned.

Swoszowski was a 1996 graduate of Wolcott High School and earned two bachelor of science degrees from Teikyo Post University, one in 2001 and another in 2003. According to her father, John Swoszowski, she was supposed to start class Sept. 8 at Southern Connecticut State University, where she was working toward a master’s degree in speech pathology.

Julie Swoszowski was active in the field of holistic medicine. Her family said she was certified as an energy instructor, reflexologist and Chinese herbologist; she was also a reiki and shamballa master teacher, a trained meridian therapy practitioner, and an aroma therapist.

A friend who used to work with Sowszowski at CT Safe Home described her as “sweet,” and said, “She loved children. She was really into holistic health and was just a really positive person.”

Ayoub, an accredited holistic health counselor, called Swoszowski “a very spiritual person” and added, “She’s with the angels, for sure.”

“We’re doing all sorts of prayer ceremonies to try to release her spirit,” he said.