Slaying victim laid to rest in distanced ceremony
Mourners gathered in a church parking lot in Newtown on Sunday to pay last respects to a 23-year-old man allegedly killed by a former high school classmate over Memorial Day weekend.
The casket of Nicholas Eisele, who lived in Derby, was carried to to St. Rose of Lima Church on Church Hill Road by a procession of black limousines and a hearse led by a fire truck from Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue.
Around 80 cars of mourners packed the parking lot under breezy blue skies, as pallbearers wheeled Eisele’s wooden casket to a tent set up for the occasion.
Organizers and security staff at the funeral wore masks, and cars were staggered in the parking lot to leave empty spaces for social distancing. Those who attended were asked to remain in their vehicles.
Eisele was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head a week earlier at his home in Derby, while searched for Peter Manfredonia, Eisele’s former classmate at Newtown High School.
On Wednesday detectives with the Connecticut state police took Manfredonia into custody at a truck stop in
Hagerstown, Md., after one of the detectives recognized him.
The 23-year-old suspect in two homicides waived his extradition, and state police said during a press conference they expect he will be brought back to Connecticut this week or the following week.
Eisele’s girlfriend, who has not been identified by authorities, was also allegedly kidnapped from their Derby home when Manfredonia left in her black VW Jetta.
She was later found, unhurt, by police in New Jersey.
Police believe Manfredonia had earlier killed Theodore DeMers, 62 and injured John Franco, 80, with a machete, after DeMers found Manfredonia walking along the road in the rural town of Willington in the northeastern corner of the state.
From there, Manfredonia is believed to have held another man at the man’s home in Willington for two days before stealing his car and several guns and driving to Derby, where the stolen car was recovered after a crash.
In his obituary, Eisele was remembered as a magnetic and funny young man who enjoyed gardening and art and design.
“After overcoming his own personal struggles, the end of his life was filled with his happiest days,” his obituary reads. “Most of all, Nick is remembered by his awesome sense of humor, his gratitude, and his heart of gold.”
Eulogies and hymns were projected out to the parking lot by loudspeaker over the hourlong ceremony. After the ceremony, led by Monsignor Robert Weiss, drew to a close, Eisele’s casket was led back to the waiting black hearse.
Weiss said Eisele’s remains would be cremated.
Born Feb. 21, 1997 in Stamford, according to his obituary, Nicholas Eisele graduated from Newtown High School in 2016. He had recently moved in with his girlfriend, according to a crowd-funding page set up to help cover funeral expenses for the family.
He is survived by his parents, John Eisele and Michele Krasowski; his twin brother, Michael; and two sisters, Jessica and Gianna, according to the page.