Police say Sean McCormack was intoxicated when officers found his sister, Donna Caponera, dead inside their Edgemere Road home.
EAST HAVEN, Conn. — Court records in a murder case against a 56-year-old East Haven man describe months of caregiving strain before his older sister was found dead in their home.
Sean McCormack is accused of killing Donna Caponera, 69, who had Alzheimer’s disease and relied on him for daily care, according to police and court records. The case has drawn notice because the first emergency call had no spoken words and because investigators say McCormack later made damaging statements while being treated at a hospital.
Family members interviewed by investigators described McCormack as Caponera’s in-home caregiver and said he held power of attorney because of her illness. They told police he had generally cared well for his sister, but they also described a worsening home life. Caponera’s disease had advanced, relatives said, and she had become more angry and sometimes aggressive toward McCormack. Investigators wrote that McCormack was not sleeping enough and had been attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings online. Court records also said he was a recovering alcoholic who had been sober for about six months before police found him intoxicated on May 16. Those details do not decide guilt, but they form part of the state’s account of the pressure inside the home.
Police were called to Edgemere Road at about 5:30 p.m. after dispatchers received a 911 call with silence on the line. The call location sent officers to the house. They found McCormack sitting on the kitchen floor and appearing heavily intoxicated, police said. Caponera was found moments later in the living room with fatal injuries. Firefighters pronounced her dead at 5:48 p.m. Officers detained McCormack and first charged him with first-degree assault while he remained under police guard at a hospital. The charge changed after police secured a murder warrant, and his bond was raised from $500,000 to $2 million.
The arrest warrant described the home as a crime scene marked by blood, alcohol and items investigators collected as evidence. Caponera was found in a pool of blood, and a cellphone charging cord appeared to be wrapped around her neck, court records said. A silver kitchen knife with blood on it was also found nearby. Police said McCormack was seated near an open bottle of vodka, discarded cigarettes and the knife. He had an injury on the inside of his arm, and authorities noted signs of self-harm. Investigators have not publicly released every item taken from the home or every test still pending. The medical examiner ruled Caponera’s death a homicide caused by ligature compression and sharp force injuries.
Investigators also cited notes found inside the house. One note appeared to say, “This is what Alzheimer’s will do to you,” according to court records. Police treated the writing as part of the evidence from the home, along with the 911 call, the physical scene and statements attributed to McCormack. Authorities have not said whether the note was written before or after Caponera died. They also have not publicly stated whether officers had been called to the home before the killing or whether any outside caregiving agency was involved. Those unanswered questions remain part of the broader case file and could surface in later hearings.
The criminal case moved quickly over the first several days. Police announced an initial assault arrest after the May 16 response. By May 19, McCormack had been released from the hospital into police custody and charged with murder. He appeared before a judge in New Haven Superior Court the next day and did not speak during the hearing. A public defender represented him, and the case was transferred to Part A, the court docket for the most serious matters. The New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office is handling the prosecution with support from East Haven police and state police major crimes investigators.
The warrant says McCormack made several statements after police took him from the house. Authorities said he told officers words to the effect that Caponera had passed away. During the trip for medical care, he allegedly said, “I just killed,” “I can’t believe what I just did” and “Now she’s laying here dead.” Those statements are likely to be tested in court through police testimony, medical records and any defense challenge to how they were collected. McCormack has not entered a public factual defense in the available court record. He is presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove the murder charge beyond a reasonable doubt.
Caponera’s public obituary presents a different part of the story, centered on her work and family ties rather than the final day inside the home. It identified her as the widow of Mark Caponera and remembered her as the beloved owner and heart of The Cub House Daycare. The tribute said she created a safe and joyful place where many children were nurtured and loved. It also listed McCormack as her brother. The contrast between that remembrance and the allegations in court records has made the case especially painful for people who knew the family.
Future proceedings are expected to address evidence from the home, police statements, medical examiner findings and the next schedule for the murder prosecution. McCormack is being held on $2 million bond as the case continued in New Haven Superior Court.
Author note: Last updated June 19, 2026.