During her later years, Mary Notarangelo reportedly led a solitary existence, as stated by the few individuals who had the opportunity to interact with her.
During her retirement, the retired police detective took care of her many birds at her home in Connecticut and shared videos of them on social media. One of the birds even accompanied her on a trip to a local crafts store.
A request for a welfare check that was made to the police the previous year revealed some disturbing truths.
When the authorities were looking for her in July of last year, they discovered that her home in Glastonbury, which is located just southeast of Hartford, was in a state of hoarding.
The skeletal remains of the deceased woman were not discovered until February by a work crew that was using a small excavator.
According to a report that was made public by the police on Wednesday, they were discovered buried beneath a heap of debris that was piled up just inside her front door.
The conditions inside the single-family home that was located off a rural road in the woods were among the worst that the Glastonbury police department has ever seen, and they hampered several search efforts that were conducted over the course of several months.
According to the officers, there were “mountains” of garbage that were six feet tall and blocked the entrance doors.
A live cat was discovered in the cages, along with dead birds, mice that were running around, and a mouse. In addition, there was a foul odour prevalent.
“Once inside, I observed more mountains of garbage, cobwebs, and spiders,” Officer Anthony Longo stated in the report. “There was no path whatsoever. The only way to move from room to room was by climbing over the garbage.”
How Notarangelo passed away is unknown.
According to friends and officials, she was a long-time Wiccan and a retired detective for the Bridgeport police department, aged 73.
Hearst Connecticut Media was the first to report on her death earlier Wednesday.
Because the remains were primarily skeletal, the state medical examiner’s office stated that it was impossible to determine the cause of her death.
On July 3, 2024, a friend had called the police to ask for the welfare check.
He informed investigators that Notarangelo had last texted him on June 12, 2024, stating that she had fallen, was experiencing cramping in her abdomen, and was vomiting. Why the friend waited so long to contact authorities is unclear; they did not return calls or texts.
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It’s also unclear why it took seven months to locate her remains, despite multiple searches and the fact that authorities pointed to the piles of trash and other objects.
Another friend, Patti Steeves, who was a civilian employee of Notarangelo’s at the Bridgeport Police Department years ago, said, “It’s so upsetting and so sad. She, as quirky as she was, she was a good person at heart.”
Steeves continued: “She was passionate about her faith. She was passionate about her job. She had a great sense of humor. And she loved her animals. She loved her animals more than she did herself.”
Police and firefighters first searched the home on July 3, 2024, the day of the welfare check request but couldn’t find her, citing hoarding piles as a major factor.
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They also sent a drone in the house, but it hit cobwebs and became disabled, police said.
More searches, they said, were conducted on July 5, July 11, July 12 and Nov. 20. On Feb. 24, an environmental services crew arrived with a small excavator.
Plywood was removed from the front door area and crews used the excavator to carefully remove the contents of the home through the opening.
Notarangelo’s remains were discovered within minutes, police said.
An attorney was assigned to handle Notarangelo’s estate in March. He did not return phone and email messages Wednesday.
