Numerous witnesses told cops they saw him at a party argue with another young man about a bottle of beer, then knife him to death. The cops found bloody clothes on his bed. But, Daniel Petrillo insisted, he didn’t do it.
In fact, he said, there wasn’t even any party, as far as he knew.
That information emerged Monday in a police report about a murder that took place just after midnight Sunday in New Haven’s Beverly Hills neighborhood.
Police said Petrillo committed that murder. They said Petrillo, who’s 22, knifed Josiah J. Alexander, 23, outside a party that took place at Petrillo’s house on Westerleigh Road, between Fountain Street and Whalley Avenue.
Petrillo appeared in a courtroom on Elm Street Monday in connection with the charge. He didn’t enter a plea. He was held on $1 million bond. His case was transferred to the Church Street state courthouse a block away.
Petrillo did protest his innocence in an interview with the cops after the SWAT team came to pick him up at 6:30 a.m. Sunday, according to the police report written written by Detective Nicole Natale. Read the report here.
He reportedly said he spent the early part of Saturday evening with friends; he told cops “they drank Rum and smoked marijuana in his front yard.” He “became very intoxicated and high,” went inside at 9 p.m. to watch a movie, then hit a corner store 15 minutes later to pick up a Red Bull and pack of Newports. He then went home and went to sleep, he claimed, a slumber broken by the SWAT team at 6:30 a.m.
Detectives wrapped up the case within hours after learning of the murder early Sunday morning. According to the report, they interviewed several witnesses who were present at what was in fact a rollicking party at Petrillo’s house, which is known as one of two problem buildings in an otherwise quiet family neighborhood. (Read about that here.)
Witnesses said Petrillo argued with Alexander early in the evening over “who had more ‘street cred.’” Later they argued because Alexander allegedly drank his bottle of beer, according to witnesses. One said Petrillo (known as “SD”) retrieved a gun and “shouted, ‘I’m gonna shoot your ass unless you buy some weed from me.’” He also allegedly yelled, “I shoot niggas for fun.” Alexander allegedly purchased a bag of marijuana for $10, defusing the argument for awhile. It later allegedly resumed in the front yard, where Alexander was stabbed repeatedly in the chest.
Two friends started to drive him to the hospital. They flagged down an ambulance at Whalley and Philip Street. Alexander was taken to the Hospital of St. Raphael, where he later died from his wounds.