Timeline of Griswold home invasion-triple murder
The home-invasion murder of three members of the Lindquist family and associated crimes took place over the course of more than four hours on Dec. 20, 2017. This timeline is based on information contained in an arrest warrant affidavit for Ruth Correa. Ruth and Sergio Correa have been charged in connection with three murders in Griswold last year. Ruth Correa has pleaded not guilty. Sergio Correa has not yet entered a plea.
DEC. 19, 2017
Sergio Correa and Matthew Lindquist exchange more than 40 text messages in which Correa agrees to bring Lindquist drugs and cash in exchange for Lindquist letting Correa into Lindquist’s parents’ home and showing Correa a safe Lindquist says contains at least two guns and is bolted to the floor in the basement.
11:40 p.m. Correa texts Lindquist that he is 35 minutes away. His sister, Ruth Correa, is with him in the car.
DEC. 20, 2017
12:46: Correa and Lindquist exchange their last text message. 12:46 a.m. to 5 a.m.
Sergio and Ruth Correa meet Matthew Lindquist at the cul-de-sac on Kenwood Drive, Griswold.
Sergio and Ruth Correa fatally stab Matthew Lindquist and leave his body in a wooded area.
Sergio and Ruth Correa go to the Lindquist home.
Kenneth Lindquist wakes up and is attacked by Sergio Correa, who demands the key to the gun safe.
Ruth Correa strikes the family dog with a golf club after she says it attacked her.
Janet Lindquist wakes up and is attacked by Sergio Correa.
Sergio and Ruth Correa set fire to the house and leave with stolen items, including Matthew Lindquist’s car.
5:12 a.m. Neighbor calls 911 to report a fire at the Lindquist home at 70 Kenwood Drive. First responders arrive to find fire consuming the home and can only fight the flames from the outside. Neighbor calls Eric Lindquist, son of the homeowners, to tell him about the blaze.
5:30 a.m. With none of the home’s three occupants accounted for, fire marshal calls in state police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit to help determine the cause and origin of the fire.
5:43 a.m. Surveillance camera photo from Bank of America branch shows a silver Saturn, later confirmed to be Matthew Lindquist’s, turn off New London Turnpike on to Clinton Street at 5:43 a.m., followed seconds later by Sergio Correa’s white Mitsubishi Galant.
5:47 a.m. Surveillance camera photo from Bank America shows flames in the distance.
5:56 a.m. Glastonbury police and fire crews called to a car fire at 40 Nanel Drive within the Glastonbury Luxury Apartment complex. Fire and Explosion Unit called to investigate. Investigators determine Matthew Lindquist’s cellphone “pings” in the area as state police try to locate him.
7:05 a.m. Body is discovered inside 70 Kenwood Drive during a preliminary search of the home. In the driveway, police find a single brass round from a 30-06 rifle.
7:11 a.m. Eric Lindquist tells troopers at the fire scene that his father, Kenneth, told him the previous evening that he and his wife were having problems with Matthew Lindquist abusing illegal and prescribed drugs again. Sister Danielle T. Nichols tells detectives that she last communicated with Matthew via Facebook on Halloween and he said he was in a rehabilitation center in Hartford for narcotics.
7:40 a.m. Matthew Lindquist’s cellphone “pings” in the area of the Sands Apartment Complex in Hartford and the location remains unchanged for the next 24 hours. Cellphones belonging to Kenneth and Janet Lindquist last ping about 6 a.m. in the same area.
11:30 a.m. Accelerant detection K-9 Claus alerts on a red plastic gas container in front of the Lindquist home’s detached garage.
2 p.m. State police search the Lindquist home and find a second body within the debris. They find an empty gun safe standing upright with the door open with the locking mechanism missing. Family members say the safe contained firearms and ammunition including a 30-06 caliber hunting rifle.
DEC. 21, 2017
Medical examiners use dental records to identify the bodies of Kenneth Lindquist, 56, and Janet Lindquist, 61.
Dr. Angela McGuire performs autopsy on Mrs. Lindquist and rules the cause of death is “homicidal violence including blunt impact injuries of the head and smoke inhalation with thermal injuries.” The manner of death is ruled a homicide.
Dr. Dollett T. White performs autopsy on Mr. Lindquist and rules he died of “homicidal violence including skull fractures, epidural, subdural and subarachnoid hemorrhage; and cerebral contusion.” The manner of death is ruled a homicide.
DEC. 22, 2017
State police search Matthew Lindquist’s burnt car and seize three exploded 30-06 shell casings and keys matching the Ford and Hyundai vehicles burned in the fire on Kenwood Drive.
State police use emergency disclosure process and learn that Lindquist was communicating with Sergio Correa. They obtain background information on Correa.
DEC. 28, 2017
Probation officers search Sergio Correa’s bedroom at his grandfather’s home at 61 Donald St. in Hartford. No contraband is found.
Sergio Correa submits to questioning at Hartford Police command center but does not provide information about Matthew Lindquist, who is considered a person of interest in the Griswold crimes. Correa says he wants a lawyer. Police seize his cell phone.
Probation officers search Sergio Correa’s car and find a gas can, multiple knives, wound cleaner spray, a sledge hammer, computer monitor and tools. State police seize the car and take it to Troop E in Montville.
JAN. 5, 2018
Security officer from Ruth Correa’s apartment building tells detectives Ruth Correa approached him in the hallway and told him she and her brother “Gio” had killed Matthew, Janet and Kenneth Lindquist, torched their house and stolen Matthew Lindquist’s car. She said she was covered in blood after the crimes and that the interior of her brother’s car had since been “renewed.”
JAN. 6, 2018
Detectives going over Correa’s car notice screws have been replaced, the front seats are not bolted to the floor properly, the interior trim doesn’t match. They trace writing underneath the driver’s seat to a junkyard in New Hampshire. Eric Lindquist identifies the computer monitor and pry bar as items belonging to his father.
JAN. 7, 2018
State police still have not found Matthew Lindquist or his body, and there has been no activity on his cellphone. They search the Lindquist residence, woods and surrounding properties using K-9s.
JAN. 24, 2018
Eric Lindquist notifies state police he was able to log in to his mother’s Microsoft account and viewed the last location of her missing Dell laptop computer. The program indicates the computer was last located near the intersection of Florence and Main streets in Hartford at 10:55 a.m.
FEB. 21, 2018
Sergio Correa is arrested on drug possession and probation violation charges.
MAY 5, 2018
Dog walker calls 911 to report finding human remains approximately 50 feet into the woods and 1,500 feet from the Lindquist residence. Police assume it is Matthew Lindquist.
MAY 6, 2018
Medical examiner’s office conducts autopsy and rules that the cause of death is stab wounds to the head, torso and extremities. The manner of death is ruled a homicide.
MAY 9, 2018
Medical examiner uses dental records to identify the victim as Matthew Lindquist.
MAY 10, 2018
Detectives obtain a search-and-seizure warrant for Ruth Correa’s apartment at 1630 Main St. in the Sands Apartment Complex in Hartford.
MAY 11, 2018
Detectives obtain warrant to collect DNA sample from Ruth Correa. She agrees to speak with police and provides detailed confession of the crimes.
Detective Frank A. Cuoco prepares 17-page arrest warrant affidavit for Ruth Correa.
MAY 12, 2018
Ruth Correa is arrested after the warrant is presented to and signed by State’s Attorney Michael L. Regan and Superior Court Judge Kevin P. McMahon.
MAY 14, 2018
Ruth Correa is arraigned on charges of murder with special circumstances, three counts of felony murder, home invasion, first-degree arson and first-degree robbery.
JUNE 4, 2018
Sergio Correa is charged with murder with special circumstances, three counts of felony murder, first-degree robbery, first-degree arson and second-degree arson and home invasion.
JUNE 6, 2018
During her second court appearance, Ruth Correa waives her right to a probable cause hearing and enters a not-guilty plea.