April Dawn Pennington, Msg May 1996 [MURDER CHARGES FILED]

[packy]

Originally posted by Cog1
Snipped

http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=13292df9-621c-4098-abfa-ca30fe8aa1ed

"Montville Man Charged with Murder of Missing Girl

The Day, New London Ct.
Published on 4/1/2008

State police have charged a repeat sex offender with the murder of 15-year-old April Dawn Pennington, who disappeared from her Montville home in May 1996.

George Leniart, 42, of Montville, was arraigned today in New London Superior Court. He was charged with three counts of capital felony and one count of murder.

Judge Susan Handy set Leniart’s bond at $2 million based on his extensive criminal history. The arrest warrant detailing why Leniart was arrested was sealed for two weeks.
Leniart’s next court date is scheduled for April 15.

[packy]

http://www.ct.gov/dps/cwp/view.asp?Q=412484&A=11

Today 04/01/08 at 7:30 a.m. the Connecticut State Police Major Crime Detectives at Troop-E Montville took an accused into custody and charges him in the 1996 disappearance of April Dawn Pennington.

This case involved a 15 year old girl April Dawn Pennington `who was reported missing by her parents Hazel and Walter Pennington in May 1996. She was reported to be missing from her home located 43 Orchard Drive in Montville. That was the last time April Pennington was seen in the town of Montville. Since her disappearance there have been few leads of information as to the whereabouts of April Pennington and to date she has not been heard from or seen since that initial missing person report in 1996. Connecticut State Police Major Crime Detectives have been actively involved in conducting a criminal investigation into her disappearance.

[packy]

http://ct.gov/dps/cwp/view.asp?a=2143&q=294126

Victim: April Dawn Pennington, a white female with brown hair and green eyes was born in 1980 (age 15 in 1996). April was 5'2" tall and weighed 100 pounds. She has a tan birthmark on her right tricep. April was last seen at her home on Orchard Drive in Montville. She possibly had a black duffel bag. There is no description of clothing available. Medical and Dental records are available.

Circumstances: April left her home in the early morning hours of May 29, 1996 to meet with friends and was never seen again. (more at link with picture)

[Nut44x4]

Posted Apr. 17, 2008
12:40 PM
Affidavit: Man charged in 1996 killing dumped body in ocean

New Haven (AP) _ Authorities say a man charged with killing a Montville teen who disappeared more than a decade ago told a prison cellmate he killed her and then dumped her body in the ocean in Rhode Island.

Those details are included in an arrest warrant affidavit for George Leniart that was unsealed Thursday. The 42-year-old prisoner at Corrigan Correction Center in Uncasville pleaded not guilty Tuesday to murder and three counts of capitol felony.

He was charged earlier this month with killing April Dawn Pennington, who had been missing since 1996.

Leniart was already in prison because he is accused of a sexual assault involving a teenage boy.

Leniart told a cellmate that he choked the girl during sex and then realized she was dead. The affidavit says Leniart told his cellmate he transported the body to a fishing boat in Rhode Island, chopped up her body and dumped her in the water.
http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=8181836

[Nut44x4]

April Dawn's photo and accused killer George Leniart (photo: CT Sex Offender Registry)

[packy]

I couldn't find any new on a court case for this murder but found a civil rights case in Fed. Ct. with the same name. No details available because I don't have a subscription to Pacer to see what that involves or if this is the same person. http://dockets.justia.com/docket/court-ctdce/case_no-3:2009cv00009/case_id-83854/

[grammybears]

I think this would be so hard for her parents. She has been gone so long. I don't know if I could take knowing what this jerk did to their daughter.
My prayers go out to her family and friends.

May justice be served by putting this man away for a very long time.

jmoo

[Nut44x4]

Cold case murder suspect to go on trial in January Published on 7/20/2009

A convicted sex offender accused of murdering 15-year-old April Dawn Pennington in 1996 will go on trial in January 2010, according to the New London state's attorney's office.

Prosecutor John P. Gravalec-Pannone said that the state and George M. Leniart could not resolve the case short of trial. Judge Susan B. Handy informed Gravalec-Pannone and Leniart's attorney, Norman A. Pattis, that the trial would commence in January.

State police charged Leniart, 43, of Montville last year with three counts of capital felony and one count of murder after spending thousands of hours investigating Pennington's disappearance. He is accused of kidnapping Pennington before sexually assaulting and murdering her. Her body was never found, so the state is not seeking the death penalty against Leniart.

Leniart is being held on a $2 million bond at the MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution. He was convicted of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl and nearly strangling her to death in 1995. The charges were pending and Leniart was free on bond when he allegedly killed Pennington. In the ensuing years, he has been charged with sexual assaults and with risk of injury to a minor, reckless endangerment, assault, marijuana possession and parole violations. He is a registered sex offender.
http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=25ca83a4-463c-4f40-9735-03dde95a9ac8

[MrzEzell]

This is what I'm talking about when I say things done in the dark come to light, it may have taken a long time but justice is sweet. I'm just glad he's caught definatly better then never. My prayers are with the family of this girl whom lost her life to this criminal.