Former Bethel restaurant co-owner dies of brain cancer
BETHEL — Tony Fernandes, the longtime coowner of Tonelli's Restaurant in Bethel has died from brain cancer at age
56. His funeral is set for Monday.
He was the co-owner of Tonelli’s for 28 years. A landmark Italian restaurant for decades, it was sold in late 2013. Fernandes made headlines that year when he was charged with two counts of first-degree sexual assault, months after two waitresses said he raped them in separate incidents in 2011.
He stood trial in October
2014, but the jury was unable to reach a verdict after six days of deliberation.
A mistrial was declared in the second trial in 2015 after some jurors said the victims’ “no” was simply not enough to convict him of first-degree sexual assault. As a result, the two charges were downgraded to fourth-degree sexual assault, to which Fernandes pleaded no contest.
A judge found him guilty, and Fernandes was sentenced in 2016 to three years of probation.
Before his second trial began, his attorney, Eugene Zingario, said “Mr. Fernandes has maintained his innocence since the first day of the case.”
Fernandes died Tuesday. According to his death notice, he moved to the United States in 1969.
“At the age of 18, he became a lifeguard for the Danbury Public Works Department, where he met his wife, Helen. Among his accomplishments were purchasing his first home at the age of 20, being members of both Danbury and Bethel zoning commissions, being president of the building committee for the Portuguese Culture Center, which orchestrated the construction of the 30,000-square-foot facility in Danbury, as well as serving as a past president.
“He loved people, was a mentor to many, an avid beekeeper, taught as a certified Connecticut hunting instructor, farmer, chef, card player, entrepreneur, and acted as an insurance liaison to friends and family.”
His death notice said “His greatest accomplishment was his family; he was extremely proud of his three children. His daughter graduated with a bachelor of science in biology and both of his sons are attorneys at Ventura Law. He will be missed for his sense of humor, large heart, and great smile which always filled the room.”
His death fell on the 18th anniversary of his father's passing. Fernandes on born on Nov. 1, 1962, in Lousã, Portugal. He was the husband of Helen Rose Paravalos Fernandes and married for 33 years.
A celebration of life gathering will be held at Danbury Memorial Funeral Home, 117 South St. in Danbury from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday with a Mass of Christian Burial to be held at 9 a.m. on Monday at St. Peter Church, 104 Main St, Danbury, with burial at St. Peter’s Cemetery to follow.
In lieu of flowers, donation can be made support cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital, “as the family greatly appreciated their care and support” at https://giving.mskcc.org/