4 years after murder acquittal in N.Y., fugitive arrested in Ga. on new murder charges
A fugitive from Connecticut was recently caught in Troup County, and he’ll soon be sent back north to face murder charges in a woman’s stabbing.
If the case goes to trial, it will not be new for him since he’s faced murder charges before — and prevailed.
William Bigaud Jr., 37, is accused of stabbing a woman to death in Middletown, Connecticut, on Monday during a domestic incident, according to local police. The homicide comes more than four years after Bigaud was acquitted in an assassination-style murder case in the Bronx, according to a New York Daily News report.
“I’m one of the few people that actually made it out, that actually beat the odds, and I’m grateful,” he told the newspaper after leaving court a free man in 2016.
That freedom ended Wednesday when Bigaud was found driving south on I-85 in Georgia, the Troup County Sheriff’s Office said.
NEWS RELEASE 6/11/2020 Connecticut Murder suspect apprehended On June 10, at approximately 7:25 p.m., Lt. Nathan...
Posted by Troup County Sheriff's Office on Thursday, June 11, 2020
Lt. Nathan Taylor spotted a 2015 Toyota Camry near mile marker 18, and the vehicle’s registration was flagged as wanted out of Middletown, the sheriff’s office said. The deputy learned the vehicle’s owner was wanted on counts of murder, home invasion, reckless endangerment and risk of injury to a minor.
The charges stem from the Connecticut stabbing, which took place less than 20 miles outside of the state’s capitol, Hartford. Bigaud was spotted fleeing the scene in the same Camry, according to Middletown police. The victim’s name has not been made public.
June 10, 2020 Press Release: Suspect William Bigaud located in Georgia Wednesday, June 10, 2020, Lieutenant Nathan...
Posted by Middletown Police Department -Connecticut on Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Taylor attempted to pull over the Camry near mile marker 13, but Bigaud did not comply, the sheriff’s office said. That prompted a high-speed chase, which ended with a PIT maneuver about 10 miles later.
Bigaud was arrested without further incident. No one was injured.
In connection with the chase, he will face a fleeing police charge, the sheriff’s office said. However, he’ll likely be extradited to Connecticut first so he can take part in his second murder trial in the past few years.
In 2013, Bigaud was accused of shooting 30-year-old Michael Wright four times in the face, according to the Daily News. Two days after Wright's slaying, a witness picked Bigaud out of a police lineup, landing him in Rikers Island Jail for three years while his murder case pended.
Wright’s sister, Geneen Graves, told the newspaper that she believes the jury “let a murderer go” when they acquitted Bigaud of all charges. Graves believes the mannerisms from the sole eyewitness, who appeared disheveled and shaky in court, likely blew the case.
“This is not the closure we were looking for,” she said after Bigaud’s acquittal. “It’s just a sad situation. It’s mind-boggling.”
Bigaud’s attorney, Marty Goldberg, told the newspaper that prosecutors called another witness who damaged their case, since the witness said the suspect had dreadlocks.
Bigaud, who has short hair, told the Daily News that he maintains his innocence in that case, while offering his condolences to Wright’s family.
“I’m just grateful to the Lord, grateful that I had an understanding and educated jury that could see through the lies and manipulation of the DA,” Bigaud said at the time.
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About the Author
Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives.
