Man who killed wife with 5-year-old watching not bound for Old Saybrook

Middletown — David Messenger would not move to Old Saybrook if he receives temporary leave from the Connecticut Valley Hospital, where he has been committed since 2001 for killing his wife in front of their 5-year-old son. The hospital's request for temporary leave has been modified to state that Messenger, 57, would continue to reside at the hospital if granted temporary leave and would not rent out a home at 15 Old Colony Road in Old Saybrook, as was previously planned. The change was explained Friday at Messenger's Psychiatric Security Review Board hearing on the temporary leave request. The hearing was continued to an undetermined date pending an independent evaluation of the request, which will include proposed continued treatment of Messenger's delusional disorder and a risk management plan should Messenger be granted temporary leave. Kevin Trueblood, a consulting forensic psychiatrist for Connecticut Valley Hospital and an assistant clinical professor at Yale University, said at Friday's hearing that the landlord of the Old Saybrook home sought to terminate his lease with Messenger upon learning of Messenger's history. “My understanding is that (Messenger) very graciously walked away from the lease,” Trueblood said. Edward Eaccarino, the Old Saybrook property owner, did not return a call Friday seeking confirmation of the lease cancellation. Because of the change in expected residence, attorneys representing Old Saybrook officials on Friday withdrew their petition to intervene without prejudice, which means the town could reassert its interest in becoming an intervening party in the future. First Selectman Michael Pace said Friday afternoon that the town would continue to retain the law firm Pepe and Hazard's services because Messenger could at any point renew his interest in living in Old Saybrook. “All I can do is focus on what my intent is and protect my town and public,” Pace said. Messenger, who in 1998 bludgeoned Heather Messenger with a 4-by-4 board and stabbed her with a fireplace poker, was acquitted of first-degree manslaughter by reason of mental disease or defect. He was committed to the Connecticut Valley Hospital for up to 20 years. He was granted temporary leave in 2006 to attend church in Middletown, but that leave was later terminated due to community concerns about his trips through town.