Massachusetts

Former Westfield Detective Charged With Murdering Wife Last Year

Brian Fanion had allegedly called 911 to say that his wife used his service weapon to shoot and kill herself

A former detective has been arrested and charged with murder in the 2018 shooting death of his wife, which he'd reported as a suicide at their Westfield, Massachusetts, home, prosecutors said Thursday. 

Brian Fanion, 55, was arrested Wednesday hours after a Hampden County grand jury issued a first-degree murder indictment for him, according to a news release from the county district attorney's office.

He was arraigned Thursday and held without bail, prosecutors said. It wasn't immediately clear if he had an attorney.

Amy Fanion, 51, died May 8, 2018, prosecutors said. Fanion had called 911 to say that she used his service weapon to shoot and kill herself.

Brian Fanion was on duty but had gone home for lunch, which is when he claimed the shooting happened, according to the prosecutors' statement. 

County prosecutors and state police detectives investigated, searching the Fanion home and collecting computer evidence that prosecutors now say "revealed incriminating evidence." The investigation also included interviews and experts in ballistics. 

Fanion's next court date is on Jan. 9.

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