Sean McCormack is accused of killing his older sister, Donna Caponera, inside the home where he served as her caregiver.

EAST HAVEN, Conn. — A silent 911 call from an Edgemere Road home led police to a 69-year-old woman’s body and to the arrest of her brother, who authorities say was her full-time caregiver.

The case against Sean McCormack, 56, moved from an initial assault charge to murder after Donna Caponera was found dead inside the East Haven home on May 16. Police said McCormack was heavily intoxicated when officers arrived. Court records described Caponera as having Alzheimer’s disease and said McCormack held power of attorney while caring for her.

The first public sign of trouble came at about 5:30 p.m., when East Haven dispatchers received a 911 call from the home but heard no one speaking. Officers traced the call to Edgemere Road, a residential street not far from the shoreline town’s center. When police entered, they found McCormack sitting on the kitchen floor. Police said he appeared heavily intoxicated. A short time later, officers found Caponera in an adjacent room with fatal injuries. Firefighters pronounced her dead at 5:48 p.m. Police detained McCormack at the scene and took him to a hospital under guard. “She passed away,” McCormack told officers, according to an arrest warrant described in court records.

The warrant gave investigators’ account of a chaotic scene inside the house. Caponera was found in the living room in a pool of blood, and a cellphone charging cord appeared to be around her neck, records said. A kitchen knife, discarded cigarettes and an open bottle of vodka were near McCormack, according to the records. Police also noted blood on McCormack’s arm and signs that he had harmed himself. Authorities have not said in public filings that any other person was inside the home when officers arrived. They also have not released a full public timeline of the hours before the 911 call. The state medical examiner ruled Caponera’s death a homicide caused by ligature compression and sharp force injuries, according to the arrest warrant.

McCormack was first charged with first-degree assault and held on $500,000 bond while he remained at the hospital. After police secured a murder warrant, he was charged with murder and held on $2 million bond. At his arraignment in New Haven Superior Court, McCormack said nothing. A public defender represented him, and the case was transferred to Part A, where the court handles the most serious criminal matters. Police said the investigation involved the East Haven Police Department Investigative Services Division, the Connecticut State Police Central District Major Crimes Squad and the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office. Authorities have not announced any additional arrests.

Court records described a household where a brother’s caregiving duties had grown heavier as Caponera’s condition worsened. Family members told investigators McCormack had been a good caregiver, but they also said Caponera had become more angry in the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease and sometimes struck him. The records said McCormack had been sober for about six months but was found intoxicated after the killing. Investigators also wrote that he had been attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings online and had not been sleeping enough. One note found in the house appeared to say, “This is what Alzheimer’s will do to you,” according to court documents. The note became part of the case file, not an official finding about motive.

Statements attributed to McCormack after police took him into custody are now part of the prosecution’s account. While he was being taken for medical care, McCormack allegedly made remarks including, “I just killed,” “I can’t believe what I just did” and “Now she’s laying here dead,” court records said. Prosecutors are expected to rely on those statements, the physical evidence found inside the home and the medical examiner’s findings as the case proceeds. Defense filings had not laid out a public response to the allegations. McCormack has not been convicted, and the murder charge remains an accusation unless proven in court.

Caponera’s death also drew attention because of the life she had built in East Haven before illness narrowed her world. Her obituary identified her as Donna McCormack Caponera, widow of Mark Caponera and sister of Linda Jaconette and Sean McCormack. It remembered her as the owner and heart of The Cub House Daycare, where children were cared for before she retired. Relatives and neighbors described the home as quiet before police vehicles arrived. The obituary said she was known for kindness, patience and devotion to others, especially children. That public remembrance now stands beside a criminal case built from a silent emergency call, a living room scene and a brother’s alleged words.

The next court steps will focus on evidence, competency issues if raised, and whether the case moves toward plea talks or trial. McCormack remained held on $2 million bond after the murder charge. The case is pending in New Haven Superior Court.

Author note: Last updated June 19, 2026.