Crime & Safety

West Hartford Murder Case Waits on Death Penalty Decision

Man's death sentence was overturned after repeal.

Eduardo Santiago, sentenced to death in 2005 for killing a West Hartford man, will now wait until October to find out his fate.

Santiago, 33, was convicted of the murder-for-hire killing of Joseph Niwinski, 45, in 2000.

Santiago’s sentence was overturned because the trial judge allegedly suppressed information that Santiago had been abused as a child. The Supreme Court ordered a new penalty phase to the case just after Connecticut abolished the death penalty for future offenders.

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Ten other men on death row are now challenging the legality of their execution sentences, upheld in the repeal. 

Santiago’s next court appearance on Oct. 7 is expected to fall after the Supreme Court has returned a decision on the legality of upholding the death penalty only for those already convicted, according to a Hartford Courant article.

Find out what's happening in West Hartfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

According to The Republic, it remains unclear as to who actually killed Niwkinski. At the time of the murder, Matthew Tyrell was also in Niwinski’s home and the two each accused the other of the crime. A third man, Mark Pascual reportedly ordered the killing because he was infatuated with Niwinski’s girlfriend, whom he believed was being abused. Tyrell and Pascual pleaded guilty and are serving life in jail.


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