In a close-knit community — even one the size of Newtown — family matters involving tragedy sometimes overlap.

That appears to be the case as two competing change.org petitions gained momentum in recent days involving the family of murder victim Nicholas John Eisele, and the mother of his accused killer Peter Manfredonia.

Late last week, the first petition was posted by Nicholas Eisele’s twin brother Michael asking people to sign on in an effort to press Newtown school officials to remove or transfer Manfredonia’s mother Jeanette Roderick from the school so Nicholas and Michael Eisele’s younger sister, Jessica, an incoming NHS senior, would not have to be in proximity to Roderick.

According to her brother, Jessica Eisele is also a Sandy Hook survivor who Michael said was in an adjacent gym close to the shooting on December 14, 2012.

A statement accompanying the Eisele petition indicated there is also a more longterm concern about further exposure to Roderick next year when the Eisele’s youngest sister, Gianna, is scheduled to enter NHS as a freshman.

More recently, a second petition was launched by Nichole Carter in defense of Roderick, and encouraging signers to support the local educator and her ability to continue teaching at NHS. By Sunday, the Eisele petition had almost 3,100 signatures with a goal of getting 5,000, while the Carter petition supporting Roderick had almost 1,200 of the 1,500 she hoped to amass.

Upon being contacted by The Newtown Bee over the matter, school officials were circumspect in their reply, which was issued by Board of Education Chair Michelle Embree Ku: “While we certainly sympathize with the victims and their families in this tragic case, as a school district we cannot and will not reference or comment regarding any individual student or personnel-related matters.”

It was unclear Sunday, August 30, whether any further action could be taken regarding the wishes of either group of petitioners, or the actions they hope their petitions achieve.

Shortly after posting his petition on August 28, Michael Eisele contacted The Newtown Bee to reiterate his distress.

When asked how he parsed the professional pursuits of Peter Manfredonia’s mother and the horrific allegations tied to her son, Eisele said he believed that Roderick had known her son had mental health issues and possible homicidal ideations.

“I’m not at liberty to make any legal conclusions as far as whether she is responsible or not,” Eisele said. “I’m really trying to drive home here that [Roderick] did not commit any crimes. But I think her moral compass is a little skewed; I think it’s disrespectful to my family to make that decision to return to Newtown High School.”

Eisele said he had learned that there may have been references to the 12/14 Sandy Hook shooter discovered written on a wall in Manfredonia’s room here he lived at one point while attending UConn, along with other disturbing things including possible homicidal ideations.

“I can’t believe if his people were aware of this, [they turned] a blind eye to it,” Eisele said.

Manfredonia allegedly killed his brother Nicholas on the morning of May 24 in his Derby apartment, before allegedly taking cash, and kidnapping Nicholas’ girlfriend and forcing her to drive him in her car to the New Jersey/Pennsylvania border, where he left her at a highway rest stop.

Along with the alleged murder of Nicholas Eisele, Manfredonia — an NHS classmate — is accused of the brutal murder of 62-year-old Ted DeMers, and the attempted murder of his 80-year-old neighbor in Willington (Conn.) two days before Eisele was killed.

Eisele’s Message

In a message attached to the change.org petition, Michael Eisele writes “Senior year is the year my sister will say goodbye to her classmates. The classmates who stood with her eight years ago in the Sandy Hook School gymnasium as another murderer changed her life, and all of our lives, forever.

“However, my sister will be attending her last days at NHS walking in the same hallways as Jeanette Roderick (Manfredonia), the mother of our brother’s murderer, who is a biology teacher at the school. Unfortunately, after three months of imploring Newtown Public Schools to change Mrs. Manfredonia’s teaching placement, the district says they do not have the power to remove or transfer her, meaning the decision is up to her.”

Eisele goes on to state: “There is no way someone could learn and receive a quality education with the fear of who might be around the corner, or the whispers of her peers in hallways about the obvious elephant in the school. When we started speaking with the school they suggested my sister go to a different school in another town. This would mean leaving behind the friends she has grown with through tragedy and through love.

“How will being taught by a murderer’s mother impact the other students who were in Sandy Hook Elementary School on that tragic day? The mother of a gunman who allegedly had Adam Lanza’s name written on his bedroom wall? Newtown, of all towns, should have zero tolerance for gun violence. We need to prevent this from traumatizing all Newtown youth even more.

“My sister has seen more tragedy in her 17 years than many people will see in their entire lifetimes. Her mental health is at stake, along with the other students. Our mother has been pleading with Superintendent Dr. Lorrie Rodrigue between planning a pandemic-safe funeral, cleaning out my brother’s apartment, and everything else that comes with losing your child,” the petition addendum states. “This is the last thing she needs to worry about.”

Carter’s Sentiments

Nichole Carter begins her petition message issuing “condolences for Nicholas Eisele and his family, he will forever be in our hearts...”

She acknowledges the Eisele petition and its goal, countering by stating, “After the Sandy Hook shooting our town began promoting ‘Be Kind’, ‘We Choose Love’ and ‘Nicer in Newtown.’ If these phrases stand true of our town, then how can we define a grieving mother by her adult son’s actions?

“As hard as it is for the Eisele siblings to see the mother of their brothers killer, it is just as difficult for Mrs Roderick (Manfredonia) to see two sisters who lost their brother at the hands of her own son. Both families have suffered profound loss and lives have been ruined on both ends. It is upsetting for somebody to request Mrs. Roderick to leave her place of employment where she has been working most of her life.”

She then asserts recollections by two of Roderick’s former students, who each paraphrased their appreciation for Roderick, her kindness, and advocacy on behalf of these challenged NHS students.

A call requesting comment was made to Roderick, August 30, and had not yet been returned.

To see the Carter petition CLICK HERE

To see the Eisele petition CLICK HERE