Police say Carrie Stetson’s estranged husband was found critically injured beside her and later made written statements from a hospital.

WINSTED, Conn. — A family member who entered a home on Oak Street and saw what appeared to be blood stretching from a bathroom toward a bedroom led police to the body of 54-year-old restaurant owner Carrie Stetson, according to investigators. Her estranged husband, Leon Stetson, was found nearby with a serious neck injury and has since been charged with murder.

The discovery on the night of June 8 began a homicide investigation that brought together Winchester police, Connecticut State Police detectives and the state medical examiner. Authorities allege Leon Stetson, 67, entered the home despite an active protective order, fatally attacked his wife and then tried to take his own life. He faces charges of murder, home invasion and violation of a protective order and remains held on a $3 million bond.

Police were called to the home shortly before 9:45 p.m. after two people arrived and received no response from anyone inside, according to accounts of the arrest warrant. One of the reporting parties was identified in news reports as one of Carrie Stetson’s adult children. The person noticed blood in the bathroom and a trail continuing toward a bedroom, then contacted authorities rather than going farther into the home. Officers entered and found Carrie Stetson unresponsive, with a knife near her head. She had no pulse and was pronounced dead.

Leon Stetson was found close to her and was still alive, police said. The warrant described him as moving involuntarily, breathing with difficulty and drifting in and out of consciousness. He had a deep wound to his neck. Emergency workers treated him at the scene before he was flown to Hartford Hospital in critical condition. Investigators have described the injury as an apparent attempt to take his own life after the fatal attack, though the precise sequence remains an allegation that prosecutors would have to establish in court.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner later determined that Carrie Stetson died from sharp-force injuries and ruled her death a homicide. Authorities have not publicly released a full autopsy report or a detailed forensic reconstruction of what happened inside the home. The arrest warrant contains redactions, and several questions remain unresolved, including the precise time of the attack and whether anyone spoke with either Carrie or Leon Stetson shortly before it occurred.

Investigators said Leon Stetson made written statements while receiving treatment because his injuries apparently limited his ability to speak. According to the warrant, he wrote, “You know how I did it,” and also referred to events going “south” and becoming “ugly.” Those statements are expected to become important evidence, but their legal use could depend on questions including his medical condition, whether he understood officers and whether investigators followed required procedures before obtaining them. No court has yet determined the weight or admissibility of the statements.

The killing came while a court order barred Leon Stetson from contacting or approaching his estranged wife. Carrie Stetson had sought protection after describing a deteriorating relationship, threats and conduct she believed placed her and her children at risk. Relatives also told investigators that they had feared Leon Stetson might hurt her, according to the warrant. Police said the protective order remained active on the night she died, making its alleged violation a separate part of the criminal case.

Publicly reported court records show that the couple’s separation followed months of conflict. Carrie Stetson wrote in a protective-order application that her husband’s crack cocaine use had contributed to increasingly unstable behavior. Leon Stetson had been arrested after an April domestic incident and faced charges that included interfering with an emergency call, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct. Those earlier allegations had not been resolved when Carrie Stetson was killed and must be treated separately from the pending murder prosecution.

The warrant also refers to Leon Stetson becoming increasingly despondent about the relationship and includes references to marital conflict and infidelity. Authorities have not established a final motive, however, and prosecutors have not publicly presented a complete theory of why the alleged attack occurred when it did. Drug use, relationship problems and statements included in an arrest affidavit may provide investigative context, but they do not independently prove intent or criminal responsibility.

Carrie Stetson was widely known in Winsted as the owner of the Railway Cafe, a Main Street restaurant she opened during the COVID-19 pandemic. The business became both a family project and a neighborhood gathering place. Her obituary said she worked alongside her three children and wanted the cafe to reflect her commitment to family, community and the town. She also served on local groups, including the Winchester Economic Development Commission and Friends of Main Street.

Friends and relatives remembered her as an animal lover who fostered pets, supported rescue work and often adopted animals placed in her care. She was also described as a mother, grandmother, volunteer and small-business owner who remained closely involved in civic life. Her death prompted an outpouring of support for her children and the restaurant’s employees. A community fundraiser collected money to help the family, staff members and the cafe during its temporary closure.

Her children later said they intended to reopen the Railway Cafe and preserve the work their mother had begun. That response shifted part of the public focus from the circumstances of her death to the life and local institution she built. Memorial notices emphasized the welcoming space she tried to create and her belief that a small business could strengthen relationships among residents. Her family also established ways for people to contribute to local causes in her memory.

Leon Stetson was arrested after leaving intensive medical treatment and was arraigned remotely from his hospital bed. A judge set bond at $3 million. At a later appearance in Torrington Superior Court, defense attorney Daniel Thibodeau asked for additional time before deciding how to proceed with a probable-cause hearing. Such a hearing can require prosecutors to show that enough evidence exists to continue pursuing a charge punishable by life imprisonment.

The defense request moved the next scheduled court date to Aug. 11. The delay was procedural and did not represent a finding about the evidence. Prosecutors still must prove every charge beyond a reasonable doubt, and Stetson is presumed innocent unless convicted. Public court reporting has not identified a plea to the murder charge, and authorities have not announced whether additional charges are under consideration.

The case remains pending in Connecticut Superior Court as investigators continue reviewing physical evidence, medical findings, witness accounts and statements attributed to Leon Stetson. The protective order, prior domestic case and circumstances under which he entered the Oak Street home are likely to remain central issues. His next scheduled appearance is Aug. 11, when the court may receive an update on whether the defense will seek a probable-cause hearing.

Author note: Last updated July 13, 2026.