Suspect arrested in home invasion

WINSTED —  Two residents suffered injuries during a home invasion on 111 Rockwell St. on Wednesday, June 1. 

As of press time the incident is still under investigation by detectives from the state police’s Western District Major Crime unit.

According to a press release issued by Trooper First Class Kelly Grant, the Winsted Police Department was called to a disturbance at around 9:57 p.m.

When officers arrived, they determined that the residents of the 111 Rockwell St. property were victims of a home invasion and were assaulted by suspects.

According to Winchester Police Chief William Fitzgerald, who was interviewed by The Winsted Journal after the incident, both victims in the assault were pistol whipped by the suspects.

Fitzgerald said that the two victims were transported to Waterbury Hospital for treatment and none of their injuries were considered to be life threatening.

He said the department is not sure if the two victims were residents of the town or were leasing the Rockwell Street property.

At around 10:15 p.m., state troopers and K9 teams from Troop B in North Canaan, along with detectives from the Western District Major Crime Unit, responded to the scene. 

After some investigation the investigators located and arrested suspect Elias Estremera, 45, of Torrington.

Estremera was taken into custody by the Winchester Police Department and held on bond.

He has been charged with burglary, assault, robbery, threatening in the first degree, assault in the third degree, larceny in the sixth degree, along with one charge of home invasion and a charge of breach of peace.

His next court date is Wednesday, June 15,  at Bantam Superior Court.

Estremera is currently being held on $400,000 bond.

A second suspect is being sought in the case.

Fitzgerald said the department knows the individual in the case and the investigation is continuing.

He did not specify a description of the suspect.

“The department had a quick response to the scene thanks to Officer Brad Kovacs, who was just sworn in two months ago,” Fitzgerald said. “He apprehended Estremera when he was arriving to the scene.”

When asked, Fitzgerald would not comment on whether the incident was drug-related.

“The investigation is still continuing and there may be additional arrests occurring,” Fitzgerald said. “I don’t want to jeopardize a joint investigation between us and the state police. It is very important when people see suspicious activity to call us. In this particular incident, we were called by a resident who reported a possible disturbance. This is what led to the arrest.”

Fitzgerald said that the public was not in danger during the incident.

“This was a targeted incident,” he said. 

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