NEWSDivorce Lawyer Reportedly Kills COVID-Positive Wife, Then Himself, On Christmas Day
Officials are seeking the motive for a well-known Connecticut divorce lawyer's murder-suicide on Christmas Day, which had him allegedly shooting his wife in her head and then himself.
Cindy Liquori, 55, had reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 prior to her death, authorities were told, according to the Hartford-Courant. Husband John Liquori, 59, was allegedly waiting for the results of his test.
Cindy's mother, Claire Palmer, was undergoing treatment for COVID-19 at a local hospital, police said. Both bodies were discovered at Palmer's house, lying on her bed. Cindy, who had apparently been shot while she was asleep, had reportedly been at her mom's house to care for Palmer's dogs while she was hospitalized.
The couple was discovered by Cindy's brother, who came over around 6 p.m. on Christmas Day following a call from John asking him to come and pick up the dogs. Police retrieved a firearm at the scene.
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John Liquori was popular in the community, having worked as a family court attorney for 33 years. He was listed as the attorney of record on many cases on the state judicial branch website.
Meanwhile, Cindy owned and operated a store, Cindy's Soap Cottage, that sold homemade soaps, lotions, oils and candles. She told Patch prior to her death that she'd hired extra help to make face masks for the pandemic, detailing that she'd sold 16,000 masks and 8,000 bottles of hand sanitizer, all at no profit to herself. "I just wanted to break even," she told the outlet.
A friend and fellow attorney, David E. Kelly, told the Stamford Advocate he was shocked by the murder-suicide.
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“I’ve known John for almost 20 years,” Kelly related. “We were in the same town and our practices of law were similar. His wife was a wonderful person, too. Everyone is shocked. I would have never seen something like this coming. If you knew him, he’s the most laid-back individual I’ve ever met.”
Kelly added that the couple did not seem to be having any financial difficulties, having even just recently expanded Cindy's retail space. And, although John often had to work with stressful legal cases, he always seemed to handle things in stride.
But apparently something had tipped his mental balance.
“I think the only good thing that comes out of this is that more attorneys will communicate how they are feeling,” Kelly said.
