Could Addie Carone have foreseen that the West Hartford Police would come knocking on her door after 22 years of torment?  Of course not…. There are many layers to this senseless homicide saga.  Today’s focus will be on the timeline that recently became available through the Freedom of Information Act – a 400 page document.  Please refer to former blogs for background information: Twenty Seven Minutes for Twenty Two Years of Agony and The Sins of a Son Fall on the Father

• Adam Zachs murdered Peter Carone in 1987. [Ladyjustice attended this trial as a court escort with members of the Carone family.]
• Zachs was convicted of first degree murder and was sentenced to 60 years. *** A pre-existing Connecticut state law allowed convicted murderers to post bail while awaiting appeal !!!
• A “more than generous“ aunt posted a $250,000 bond, setting in motion a chain of events that would see no just conclusion until 2011!
• Adam’s Zach’s father conspired to hide his son from authorities, using his employees at the C-Thru Ruler Company. As one example, Zachs made his escape and was driven  to New York City by employee Moses Alphonse;
• Also accompanying Zachs was his girlfriend at the time, Carmen Mangual, whom he used for her Spanish speaking abilities;
• Zachs also received vital assistance from his family such as weekly phone calls and a former C- Thru Ruler employee, Isador Bendrihem assisted in funneling money to Zachs;
• Zachs began his life on the run in Mexico City (population 8.84 million);
• Adams Zachs honed his skills in Spanish and started a business – “Hospital de Computadoras “Accesa” with an income of $300,000 to $400.000 annually;
• Assumed names – Adam became Mitchell Robertson… and later changed his name to Ruben Fridman.

Family Life:

• Zachs, who was 47 in 2011, had a 21 year old wife and two children from a previous marriage.  However, early on Carmen Mangual began dating Zachs immediately after the murder of Peter Carone and stayed in the relationship until late 1990, whereupon she went to Puerto Rico;
• Intimate partner violence appeared to be present as Ms. Mangual’s accounts included controlling behavior, inability to make phone calls, isolation from her family resulting in depression;

Aiding and Abetting:

• The fugitive moved often… Zach’s brother, Neil and family also travelled from New Jersey to visit him;
• Adam’s father, Frederick, called weekly in the beginning and then the calls were more infrequent as time went on;
• Additional assistance came from a Mexican immigration attorney and a Rabbi;
• Moses Alphonse, his wife and a taxi driver from Belize named Collet Maskall visited Zachs and delivered money at Fredrick Zach’s request;
• Western Union transfers were also used;
• Employees from C-Thru Ruler conspired by forwarding letters to Zachs in Mexico to check on his welfare.

The Search:

• The West Hartford police headed by Police Chief James Strillacci never gave up!;
• The Carone-Zachs case had been featured on “America’s Most Wanted” show four times over the years;
• Although tips came in from several states, “the perp” was an avid watcher of the show and continued to elude law enforcement;
• The State of Connecticut Department of Public Safety forensics lab tried to authenticate handwriting on photocopied envelopes addressed to Zachs. However, such attempts were inconclusive;
• The FBI was involved… Until the attacks on September 11, 2011 focusing on terrorism,  such international effort and collaboration wasn’t part of the equation;
• West Hartford Police received reliable information in 2006 from recorded phone conversations that Zachs was in Mexico City; He later moved to Leon, population 1.4 million people “which may have been part of his fatal mistakes.”
•  In January 2006, Chief Strillacci requested assistance from the U.S. Marshall’s office in Connecticut and Washington, D.C. A partnership was formed and this forged new methods of investigation;

The Key to Success:

• The fact that the search was focused solely in Mexico… and they were able to “follow the money trail” from Fred Zachs to his employees and then to Adam Zachs was imperative…and a turning point in the case;
• Zachs was arrested by U.S. and Mexican officials at 3:50 p.m. on February 1, 2011 while he walked from his business to home;
• Extradition delays occurred… A request was made to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to expedite the matter. It is uncertain if she interceded…                     We would hope so!
• A deputy marshal accompanied Detective Puglielli – the detective who was in it for the long haul (six years).  They accompanied Adam Zachs on an Aeromexico flight to JFK airport in New York City;
• Puglielli and another West Hartford detective drove Zachs from the airport to the Superior Court lock up in Hartford where he had a brief court appearance;
• Zachs was sent directly to  McDougall-Walker Correctional facility  in Suffield, CT to begin serving his 60 year sentence;

Stats: McDougall-Walker Correctional Institution  is a level 4/5 high maximum security level multi-mission facility for adult males and is the largest correctional facility in New England. Population as of July, 1, 2011 – Accused– 397; Sentenced-1,726; Total- 2,123. Staffing as of 7-1-2011- 678. It “provides a highly structured environment to manage long term sentenced offenders, protective custody offenders and high bond unsentenced offenders with programs designed to address the needs of each population.”

“The Perp” Talked… He Knew the Jig was up:

Zachs had a few close calls and eluded police .  But let’s not glorify his efforts….   He was careful for himself and very, very careless with wanton disregard for the lives of the Carone family!

When Addie Carone answered the door on February 2, 2011 and saw three officers at the door, it could only mean one thing…

Zachs was captured!  [LJ- Perhaps we will know  more on a future “Shattered Lives” show when this fine lady is available.]  A civil suit against Frederick Zachs is pending…

Postscript: The sad reprehensible and immoral Frederick Zachs was sentenced to a pitiful six months in Federal Prison for aiding and abetting the concealment of his son for 22 years. *** No one else was charged in this case as the statute  of limitations had run out!

 The Fictitious Fugitive- David Janssen:

David Janssen, a seemingly overlooked an underappreciated actor played the demanding role of Dr. Richard Kimble, accused of killing his wife.

During this series, Janssen’s show demanded 12-15 hour days, essentially appearing in every scene with filming 1-8 days per show, 30 shows per year.. Although the show was considered high quality, the actor was exhausted and declined a fifth year.  Janssen stated he’d “go home to study his lines and would fall asleep in his mashed potatoes.”  The final show received a 72% share of the audience (unbeaten for 13 years until the “Who Shot JR?” episode of “Dallas.)

Zachs versus Kimble:

The big difference between Adam Zachs alias Mitchel Robertson alias Ruben Fridman is that Dr. Kimball was a fictitious character and wrongfully accused, whereas Zachs, with his Napoleon complex, his short fuse and murderous ways finally caught up with his past!

References: Article by Amanda Falcon www.courant.com; February 5, 2012;                                                                                                                  www.donnagore.com; www.ct.gov-DOC McDougall-Walker CI; www.davidjanssen.net;                                             http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0003748/bio