Man charged with murder: Suspect was out on special parole

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BY BRUNO MATARAZZO JR.

REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

NAUGATUCK — The local man who is the subject of a massive manhunt for the brutal murder of his 11-month-old daughter was on special parole after having been released from state Department of Correction custody just five months ago.

CONTRIBUTED
Christopher Francisquini is suspected of killing his infant daughter.

It wasn’t Christopher Francisquini’s first time out of prison.

In November 2020, the now 31-year-old became eligible for “discretionary parole” after completing 85% of his 10-year sentence, which is allowed under state law. A year later in November 2021, he was arrested by multiple police departments over two days in a spree of alleged offenses that included carjacking and assault on a police officer.

Following his arrests, Francisquini was remanded to the Department of Correction, serving the remaining years of his sentence in Bridgeport and was discharged to special parole June 20 of this year. A judge sentenced Francisquini to 10 years of special parole following his 10-year term for the 2012 case in Naugatuck involving assault, robbery and criminal possession of a firearm in what police described then as a drug-deal-turned-robbery. Special parole is mandatory post-release supervision imposed by the court at sentencing.

Once Francisquini was no longer in custody, he was eligible to be released on bond for his November 2021 charges. He faced $375,000 in bonds out of two separate courts for those charges. He was released June 27.

Prosecutors from the Milford State’s Attorney’s Office required Francisquini to post his bond at the courthouse so he could be outfitted with a GPS electronic-monitoring ankle bracelet, according to court documents. In an update by a parole officer in September, Francisquini was compliant with his terms of release. As part of those conditions, he was under 24/7 lockdown except for work and medical appointments approved by probation.

Earlier this month, he had requested changes in his curfew for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s unclear if his request was granted.

Francisquini posted his bond via agent George Igartua of Meriden, who is insured through Palmetto Surety of South Carolina. Igartua wouldn’t say how much of the bond was posted for Francisquini when contacted Nov. 22. The bond out of Milford and Bridgeport courts have since increased with the new charges out of Naugatuck.

Naugatuck police obtained a warrant for Francisquini’s arrest Sunday night. He now faces a $5 million bond if he is captured.

On Nov. 18, local police found Camilla Francisquini’s body at the suspect’s home, 150 Millville Ave.

Police and first responders who arrived at the scene found her body dismembered, Naugatuck police said. The state medical examiner’s office determined her cause of death to be neck compressions and stab wounds.

Naugatuck, New Haven, Waterbury and state police, as well as the FBI, are working together to find Francisquini. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction.

Investigators determined Francisquini cut his GPS ankle monitor off in Waterbury, after the girl was dead.

Before the 911 call Nov. 18, Francisquini and the baby’s mother had been involved in a dispute in Waterbury, though the mother wasn’t injured, police said. Francisquini also destroyed his cellphone after that fight.

Police said they believe he killed his daughter before the dispute and her mother did not know.

The mother returned home and the 911 call was made.

Waterbury police Lt. Ryan Bessette said the department has its own arrest warrant for Francisquini on charges of second-degree breach of peace and second-degree criminal mischief for the argument Nov. 18y in the Pet Smart parking lot on Bank Street. City police were notified of the argument and cellphone destruction while the mother was speaking with Naugatuck police Nov. 18.

Richard Sparaco, executive director of the Board of Pardons and Parole, said Francisquini’s special parole could not be revoked due to his November 2021 arrests because they occurred before he started special parole in June of this year.

“When that 10-year sentence ended, so does the board’s hold on him because our hold — our decision to grant him discretionary parole — is only on that 10-year sentence,” Sparaco said.

“Once that 10-year sentence ended, we have no more hold or authority on him until special parole starts.”