In one of the most disturbing discoveries in Connecticut police history, the skeletal remains of a retired detective were unearthed inside a home buried in garbage, feces, and decay — a nightmare scene described by hazmat workers as “inhuman.”
Seventy-three-year-old Mary Notarangelo, a retired Bridgeport police sergeant, was found months after vanishing, her bones hidden beneath layers of garbage, decomposing animals, and human waste inside her isolated home deep in the woods of Glastonbury.
The home had become a tomb of trash. Police bodycam footage — released after a Freedom of Information Act request — reveals officers straining to push open a front door barricaded by filth. What they found inside was shocking: the ceilings nearly touched by mountains of garbage, entire rooms swallowed by clutter, and used toilet paper scattered like snowdrifts.
“You can taste the foulness in your mouth,” one officer is heard saying on the tape. “It’s literally filled with feces and used toilet paper. It’s just not safe.”
A Mystery Hiding in Plain Sight
Notarangelo was reported missing in July 2024 after a friend noticed that birdseed she regularly ordered for her pet birds had been left untouched on her doorstep. Her last known communication came on June 12, 2024 — a text message describing a fall, vomiting, and stomach pain.
For eight months, there were no answers. Then, in February 2025, Glastonbury police returned to search the premises. What they uncovered was a house of horrors.
Inside, officers discovered the decomposed carcasses of birds and mice, and a single, emaciated cat — the only surviving creature in the sealed-off home.
“We found the cat, barely alive,” an officer says in the footage. “That thing’s a survivor.”
Workers in hazmat suits and respirators had to crawl through tunnels of refuse, dodging dead animals and piles of rotting food. At one point, officers had to duck under stacks of trash that loomed several feet above their heads.
Who Was Mary Notarangelo?
Notarangelo began her law enforcement career in 1985 with the Bridgeport Police Department, climbing to the rank of detective in 1992 and then sergeant in 1993. She was described by former colleagues as a determined, tough-minded officer.
“She was no nonsense — the kind of cop who didn’t back down,” said retired officer Anthony Delvecchio, who worked with Notarangelo during the ‘90s. “But after the crash, she changed. She withdrew.”
Notarangelo retired on disability after a devastating on-duty car crash that left her with lasting back and leg injuries. Friends say she became more reclusive over the years, eventually severing most contact with the outside world.
“She always loved animals more than people,” said her longtime friend Janice Merriweather. “But none of us knew how bad it had gotten in that house.”
No Clear Cause of Death
Despite months of investigation, the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has been unable to determine a cause of death. Her skeletal remains offered no definitive clues, and the extreme hoarding conditions made forensic work challenging.
“There are few cases that haunt officers like this one,” said Kevin Szydlo of the Glastonbury Police Department. “This wasn’t just a missing person — it was a tragedy hidden behind garbage bags.”
A Warning Ignored?
Local officials say this case raises serious concerns about senior wellness checks and mental health oversight.
“This didn’t happen overnight,” said social worker Renee Callahan, who specializes in elder care. “We’ve got to stop letting vulnerable people disappear into isolation. It’s not just sad — it’s criminal negligence.”
As the community grapples with the horror of what unfolded behind the boarded-up windows of that woodland home, many are left asking: How could someone vanish in plain sight — and rot for months before anyone noticed?
If you or someone you know is struggling with hoarding or isolation, help is available. Contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) at 1-800-950-NAMI.
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I can understand liking animals better than people.
But still horribly sad!!