Tim Yergeau, 36, the former director of strategic communications at the Southern New England branch of Planned Parenthood, committed suicide on Tuesday in the midst of a child pornography investigation in Connecticut last week.
Days after police failed to arrest him on child pornography charges, they botched the raid by knocking down the door of the suspect's New Haven neighbor.
"The person who died was definitely the suspect in a child pornography investigation and the person who committed suicide," New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson told the New Haven Registrar.
Prior to learning they were in the wrong apartment, the Special Victims Unit investigators who were looking into the child pornography case reportedly smashed down the door of Yergeau's neighbor five days earlier and detained the lady.
"They obviously hit the wrong door," Jacobson said, according to the source.
Internal affairs investigators for the New Haven police are currently examining how the raid went wrong, according to the newspaper.
"Unfortunately, a mistake was made," Jacobson said.
"We feel for the woman and we're going to do everything we can to make it right," he added.
Yergeau died on Tuesday morning, according to his neighbor and the state's Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner, even though Jacobson refused to confirm that he was the suspect in the child pornography probe.
"We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn the developments of the last 24 hours," a spokesperson for the theater told the outlet. "Given the difficult news, it would be inappropriate to comment further."
He died by suicide, according to the medical examiner.
According to the Long Wharf Theatre's website, Yergeau started working there as its marketing and communications director in August 2022 after leaving Planned Parenthood.
Yergeau had previously worked for the New Haven Free Public Library Foundation, according to the Long Wharf Theatre website.
Police allegedly stated that because there are two ongoing investigations into the situation, they will not release the search warrant application or provide details about what was discovered at Yergeau's apartment until they are certain there are no additional suspects.
The warrant could possibly be refused by the state of Connecticut.
"What if I had a gun permit? What if I came down the hallway with a gun? Would I have gotten shot? What if my 4-year-old had woken up? Would they have shot him?" Wezenter said. "You just don't do that to people."
Stacey Wezenter, Yergeau's neighbor, told the publication that every time she now walks down the hallway of her flat, she relives being handcuffed, New York Post reported.
According to reports, police entered her flat around 6 a.m. and started methodically going through the house while keeping their weapons drawn.
"I started running down the hallway, it was just like a movie. They had guns and flashlights on me," Wezenter said. "They put me against the wall and handcuffed me. I was crying and saying, 'What's happening?'"
Officers repeatedly asked her where the man was located while moving through the rooms of her apartment, according to the article.
"I was like, 'What man? I'm here with my children,'" the mother said. "They asked, 'Who's Tim? ' and I said that's my neighbor downstairs."
Officers apparently recognized they were not in the right flat after spotting toys belonging to her 4-year-old son.
The police informed her that they had been watching her neighbor, who was the subject of their inquiry.
Wezenter admitted to the publication that she had intended to deliver a platter of Easter leftovers to Yergeau on Monday but unintentionally fell asleep with her son.
"I was planning on going down there and talking to him," she said. "I just thought that maybe a small act of compassion might help."
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
