How a Fitbit^® Solved the 2015 Murder of Connecticut Woman

This 2015 murder captured attention across the United States, not only because of the tragic death of a mother and the secret love affair behind the murder, but also because technology played a key role in helping detectives crack the case.

Shocking Murder

Connie Dabate, a mother of two from Ellington, Connecticut, was found shot to death in her basement just two days before Christmas in 2015. Her death left her family "at a loss for words," as reported by Connecticut Insider seven years later — when her husband, Richard Dabate, was convicted and sentenced for her murder. During Richard's trial, prosecutors presented a strong case against him, but Richard continues to claim he is innocent, even though physical and digital evidence — an unexpected piece of modern technology — disproved his alibi.

'Perfect Life'

At the time of Connie's death, the Dabates seemed to have the perfect life — 10 years of marriage, two kids, and a house. Connie and Richard were seen as a strong couple, as one of Connie's friends, Allie Clarke, told PEOPLE in 2017. However, Richard would later tell police, "There was cheating going on in the beginning, on both sides," according to PEOPLE. When investigators looked through Richard's texts, they uncovered hidden secrets that shattered the image of their perfect relationship.

Revealing Phone Records

In the months after Connie's death, electronic records from Richard's phone revealed the truth about his secret affair. Richard eventually admitted to detectives that he had been having an ongoing affair, which led to his girlfriend becoming pregnant. In the arrest warrant later obtained by PEOPLE, police revealed Richard's phone records showed he texted his girlfriend the day before his wife's murder, saying, "I'll see you tomorrow my little love nugget."

The Murder

On the morning of Dec. 23, 2015, officers arrived at the Dabates' home after Richard called 911 to report that a masked intruder had broken into the house, tied him up, and shot his wife when she unexpectedly walked in. An arrest warrant previously obtained by PEOPLE showed investigators found Connie's body in the basement of their home, while Richard was treated for minor injuries.

Richard told authorities that after dropping his two sons off at their bus stop that morning, he had gone back home because he forgot his work shirt and claimed that's when he encountered the intruder. However, police soon started questioning his story when it didn't match the physical and digital evidence found at the scene, so they began a thorough investigation.

An Unlikely Break in the Case

Investigators were finally able to solve the case when they checked the data from Connie's Fitbit^®. According to Richard's 2017 arrest warrant, the Fitbit showed Connie moved about 1,217 feet between 9:18 a.m. and 10:05 a.m. that morning — about an hour after her husband told police she had been killed by the intruder.

This evidence enabled police to arrest Richard in 2017. He was briefly released on a $1 million bond, but in 2022, he was ultimately convicted of his wife's murder and sentenced to 65 years in prison. Connie's father, Keith Margotta, told Connecticut Insider the conviction would help the family finally "get a little bit of closure" more than five years after her death.

Husband Maintains Innocence

Richard still insists he is innocent, and his lawyers are continuing to appeal his conviction. Richard remains in prison, convicted of killing his wife to cover up his affair. He isn't set to be released until 2087, though his lawyers are still working to shorten his sentence. There has been no decision yet on his appeal from October 2024, which could review his conviction and sentence.

The case of Connie Dabate's murder has been a long and difficult journey for her family, but with Richard's conviction, they have found some sense of justice. While Richard continues to maintain his innocence and his lawyers keep appealing the case, Connie's family hopes that one day they will find full closure and peace after the tragedy that changed their lives.

References: Betrayal, Lies, and Murder: He Killed His Wife to Hide His Mistress' Pregnancy — But Her Fitbit Told the Truth | Ellington Man's Conviction Over Wife's Murder Appealed to CT Supreme Court | Richard Dabate Gets 65 years in CT 'Fitbit Murder,' But 'Nothing Will Bring Connie Back,' Family Says | Friend Shares Shock After a Fitbit Allegedly Helps Implicate Conn. Man in His Wife's Murder