Friday, March 5, 2010

Madison, CT: Madison Woman's Death Ruled A Homicide

By DAVID OWENS

March 5, 2010

MADISON —


Jeffrey Hamburg, the ex-husband of a woman found dead Wednesday in the yard of her Madison home, has hired prominent New Haven defense attorney Hugh Keefe.

Police have not described Hamburg, 61, of West Hartford, as a suspect in his ex-wife's death. They did, however, want to talk to him about the killing of Barbara Hamburg, and on Wednesday notified police departments around the state to be on the lookout for him. Hamburg did speak with police Wednesday, Keefe said.

"He talked to the police [Wednesday], briefly by cellphone, before I got involved," Keefe said Thursday.

Keefe said he talked to Madison police Thursday and they told him there is no warrant for Hamburg's arrest.

Madison police said they and state police detectives are continuing to investigate the killing.

"We're doing our own investigation," Keefe said. "The police are doing theirs. We'll see where it goes." Keefe said Hamburg met with him at his New Haven office Thursday.

Jeffrey Hamburg and his ex-wife were to appear Wednesday morning in Superior Court in New Haven for a status conference related to their 2005 divorce. Both have been back to court dozens of times for issues related to child support, alimony and the couple's two children.

Jeffrey Hamburg was at court with his lawyer, Lawrence Dressler, but Barbara Hamburg failed to turn up. Her body was discovered later, about 11:25 a.m., in the yard of her rented home at 44 Middle Beach Road West.

Richard Callahan, a Hamden attorney who represented Barbara Hamburg in the continuing divorce litigation, said Thursday he'd been interviewed by Madison and state police, but would not discuss the case in detail.

Also Thursday, the state medical examiner ruled Barbara Hamburg's death a homicide. The cause of death was multiple blunt-force trauma and sharp-force injury.

State police major crime squad detectives collected physical and forensic evidence from the crime scene. Madison police Sgt. Jonathan W. Pardo said officers and detectives are working around the clock on the case and he urged anyone with information or who was in the area of Middle Beach Road West on Wednesday to contact police at 203-245-2721.

Seemingly insignificant details could prove critical to investigators, Pardo said

Jeffrey Hamburg has been in a precarious financial condition because of his divorce and federal tax issues, according to his June 2009 filing for personal bankruptcy. Hamburg listed his ex-wife, to whom he owed $36,000 in back child support, among his creditors.

His debts were about $500,000. His annual income of about $100,000 was consumed largely by wage garnishments for back child support and federal tax liens.

According to the bankruptcy filing, his monthly gross income was $10,089. He netted $550.75 after deductions and garnishments.

The bankruptcy petition was terminated in October after Hamburg failed to attend meetings with creditors. During the proceeding, his ex-wife also accused him of raiding his children's bank accounts.

Fox 61's Narmeen Choudhury and Ken Margolfo contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2010, The Hartford Courant

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