New Canaan police: Shooting at estate was suicide

Police say a person died of gunshot wound on the grounds of this North Wilton Road home Tuesday afternoon. Police say a person died of gunshot wound on the grounds of this North Wilton Road home Tuesday afternoon. Photo: Thane Grauel / Hearst Connecticut Media Photo: Thane Grauel / Hearst Connecticut Media Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close New Canaan police: Shooting at estate was suicide 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

NEW CANAAN — Police on Wednesday morning identified the person who apparently committed suicide on one of the most expensive estates in town as a Briarwood, N.Y., woman.

Police said she was Heather Sturtz, 41.

Police were called to 721 North Wilton Road about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday on a report someone had a handgun and was threatening suicide.

Officers found Sturtz with a single gunshot wound. She was treated but did not survive.

“Further investigation determined that this incident is a suicide,” a police statement said. “However, this finding is contingent on receiving a report from the Connecticut Chief Medical Examiner’s Office.”

The estate is owned by Michael Kramer, a partner at Ducera Partners, a New York restructuring firm.

Heather’s father, Ken Sturtz told the New Canaan News his daughter was best friends with Kramer’s wife, Tina, since childhood.

“She was a good kid, she had a good job,” he said. “My daughter didn’t do anything wrong, she just got too confused with things. She didn’t ask for help, she tried to do everything herself and things got out of hand.”

Sturtz also said his daughter left behind a young son.

Kramer’s property is one of the most highly assessed in New Canaan, at $14.5 million. It has 7.76 acres and a 41,000-square-foot house.