Ridgefield man charged with attempted murder

Griffin Lovallo, 21, was charged with attempted murder and first-degree assault in state Superior Court in Danbury Friday afternoon. Griffin Lovallo, 21, was charged with attempted murder and first-degree assault in state Superior Court in Danbury Friday afternoon. Photo: Barry Lytton / Hearst Connecticut Media Photo: Barry Lytton / Hearst Connecticut Media Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Ridgefield man charged with attempted murder 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

DANBURY — A 21-year-old Ridgefield man appeared in court Friday charged with attempted murder and first-degree assault.

Griffin Lovallo appeared in state Superior Court in Danbury Friday afternoon for what police described as an attempt to murder an “adult woman” with a baseball bat Wednesday afternoon.

Both court documents and a Ridgefield Police Department press release did not identify the victim as Lovallo’s mother, instead referring to her as an “adult woman” or redacting her name entirely. But in court, Judge Heidi G. Winslow said Lovallo was not allowed to seek contact with the victim, his mother. Winslow did stipulate that Lovallo’s mother could contact him.

According to heavily redacted court documents, police arrived at the Barry Avenue home Lovallo shared with his parents at 4:28 p.m. and saw Lovallo crying and yelling as he walked out of the home’s garage. His hands were covered in blood, documents said.

The Lovallos had just been brought Griffin home from a mental hospital in Middletown where he was staying and working, court documents said.

Police asked Lovallo to get on the ground, he complied and took a note out of his pocket as he said “I wanted to kill her” repeatedly, police said.

“I am going to murder (redacted). I do not need psychiatric medication because I am aware of my thought process & planning.” read the note, handwritten and signed on a piece of white printer paper. “I will use a baseball bat & repeatedly hit (redacted) in the head until she is unconscious & then I will stab (redacted) multiple times until (redacted) dies.”

“Keep me in prison for 80 years. Keep me in prison for life, but do not give me any psychiatric medication,” the note continued. “Sincerely, Griffin Lovallo.”

Police handcuffed Lovallo and walked through the home in search of the woman. They found her sitting at the kitchen table with injuries to “(redacted) face and a large bump on (redacted) forehead” court documents said.

Nearby they found a Easton Stealth baseball bat with blood and strands of hair on it.

“According to the 911 tape (redacted) stated that Griffin was bashing (redacted) head into the ground and then was hitting (redacted) with a baseball bat. ”

The woman was taken to Danbury Hospital and was later released, police said. Police, citing the matter as a “family violence arrest” declined to give more information.

Friday morning, Lovallo, a scrawny man in a large hooded sweatshirt, stood sullenly — his head down — as a Judge Winslow lowered his bail to $250,000.

Lovallo’s lawyer told the court that no matter the bond amount, the 21-year-old would not be able to pay it. Lovallo had lived in Ridgfield most of his life, the attorney said.

Lovallo’s next court date is Jan. 4.

In lieu of the reduced bond Lovallo was granted Friday afternoon, he’ll remain in custody.