Date: Fri 30-Aug-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

crime-murder-Doheny-police

Full Text:

Sandy Hook Teen Slain In Shelton

B Y A NDREW G OROSKO

SHELTON - A Derby teenager is being held in lieu of a $1 million bond on

charges of felony murder and first-degree robbery in connection with the

violent and grisly killing of a Sandy Hook teenager early Monday morning at

Shelton's town boat launch on the Housatonic River.

Gary J. Morgan, 18, of 186 New Haven Avenue, Derby, was arraigned Tuesday in

Derby Superior Court. The charges stem from the death of an acquaintance,

Shawn T. Doheny, 19, of 73 Toddy Hill Road, Sandy Hook. A judge continued Mr

Morgan's case until September 5 in Milford Superior Court. The suspect is

jailed in the New Haven Correctional Center.

Detective Sergeant John Youd, who heads the Shelton Police Department's

detective bureau, said the apparent motive for the murder is the theft of car

stereo equipment.

On Thursday, Shelton police scuba divers continued their search of the

Housatonic River for a knife that Mr Morgan allegedly used to kill Mr Doheny,

and a set of keys. Police said Mr Morgan told them he threw the knife and keys

into the river after he killed Doheny.

Det Youd said police received a call at about 6:40 am Monday from a Shelton

resident who had spotted a partially submerged car in the river, near the boat

launch. On inspecting the scene, police waded out about 90 feet from shore and

found a red 1987 Chevrolet Cavalier coupe with the deceased Mr Doheny sitting

on the center console of the front seat, leaning over toward the driver's

seat.

Police found a gaping wound on his throat which was cut from ear to ear below

his jaw, according to Det Youd. After performing an autopsy Tuesday, the state

medical examiner's office determined the cause of death to be strangulation

and a severe throat wound.

After finding the partially-submerged car, police towed it out of the river

with Mr Doheny's body still inside it to protect the crime scene evidence, Det

Youd said. Police then obtained a search warrant for the car and recovered

blood evidence from the vehicle, he said.

Police ran a computerized records check on the Chevrolet and found that it had

been stopped by Ansonia police late Sunday night on a motor vehicle violation.

The Ansonia policeman who pulled over the car noted that there were three

passengers in the vehicle besides Mr Doheny, who was the driver. Ansonia

police informed Shelton police of the passengers' identities after the car was

pulled from the river on Monday.

The suspect in the case, Mr Morgan, was one of those passengers, Det Youd

said.

On questioning Mr Morgan at the police station, he admitted he had cut Mr

Doheny's throat with a knife, according to Det. Youd said. Morgan gave police

a written confession, he said.

Police obtained a warrant to search Mr Morgan's Derby apartment and found

bloody, wet clothing and the new stereo equipment which had been taken from Mr

Doheny's Chevrolet, Det. Youd said.

Police theorize that Mr Morgan had stolen or was in the process of stealing

the stereo equipment when he was caught by Mr Doheny. Police believe an

argument ensued and Mr Morgan cut Mr Doheny's throat with a knife. Police

believe that Mr Doheny was in the car when he was murdered.

Before making off with the stereo equipment, Mr Morgan pushed the car into the

river to cover up the killing, according to Det. Youd.

While jailed in the Shelton police lock-up early Tuesday morning, Mr Morgan

attempted to commit suicide by hanging himself in his cell with a sock,

according to the detective.

A scanning police surveillance camera spotted the incident and police rushed

to the cell, removing the sock from his neck.

Mr Morgan was transported to Griffin Hospital in Derby for a psychological

examination, after which he was returned to the police lock-up and placed on a

suicide watch with heavier security.

Mr Doheny was employed at Thomas's Deli in Sandy Hook. His funeral was held

Thursday at St Rose Church in Newtown.