A man who beat his pregnant wife to death in front of their son in 1998 will be discharged from oversight of the Connecticut Valley Hospital in Middletown, but will remain under the state Psychiatric Security Review Board’s legal jurisdiction.
David Messenger was found not guilty by reason of insanity after beating his pregnant wife, Heather, to death in front of their 5-year-old son inside their home in 1998 and was committed to CVH for 20 years.
When he was up for conditional release in 2011, Middletown residents attended a Psychiatric Security Review Board meeting to voice opposition to Messenger’s release from the hospital, fearing he was still a threat.
However, Messenger was allowed in June 2013 to transition into a residential treatment center in Hartford, and stay there overnight, but he was required to wear a GPS monitor and stay in Hartford County.
On Friday, the board rejected a proposal to allow Messenger to leave Hartford County.
The Middletown Press reports that Capitol Region Mental Health Center has taken over providing Messenger with psychiatric care.
