A deadlocked jury has prompted a mistrial in the case of a 32-year-old man accused of killing and dismembering his girlfriend of four years, Eastern Connecticut State University student Alyssiah Marie Wiley.
According to the attorney representing defendant Jermaine Richards, the 12-member jury deliberated for about five full days before ultimately failing to reach a consensus.
Jurors reportedly sent the judge a note Monday saying they were "deeply divided" on the case.
"On the one hand it's frustrating... On the other hand, it was certainly obvious that the jurors were extremely contentious in their efforts," defense attorney John Gulash said in a statement Friday. "As frustrating as it is that they weren't able to reach a decision, I cannot in any way fault the jurors for their obvious hard work."
Wiley disappeared in April 2013 and was found dead in Trumbull nearly a month later, less than two miles from Richards' home. She was last seen getting out of Richards' car at a Dairy Queen in Willimantic.
A 12-parge affidavit released after Richards' arrest depicted a turbulent four-year relationship between the two. According to the documents, Wiley tried to break up with Richards over Facebook in the days before her disappearance.
According to the affidavit, Richards allegedly told a friend, "Man, I'm going to get rid of her."
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He'll appear in court again March 12 for the start of a re-trial, according to the Fairfield Judicial District.
NBC Connecticut has reached out to Wiley's mother for comment.
