(Milford, CT) – Margaret E. Kelley, State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Ansonia/Milford, today announced that a jury in Superior Court in Milford on October 21, 2026 convicted Terrell Meynard, age 44, of Stamford, of four charges, including Home Invasion, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-100aa(a)(1), Burglary in the Third Degree, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-103(a), Robbery in the First Degree, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-134(a)(3) and Sexual Assault in the First Degree, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-70(a)(1).
Evidence presented at trial showed that on August 18, 2024, the victim, a 57-year-old legally blind woman who operated a massage parlor, H & M Bio Therapy, on the first floor of building on Main Street in West Haven and resided on the second floor, heard the doorbell to her business ring several times. When she opened the door slightly to see who it was, the defendant pushed open the door, grabbed her by the neck and demanded money from her. He then proceeded to take her through the first floor of the business, going into every room, flipping over mattresses and drawers, looking for money. When the victim, who did not speak or understand English, tried to speak, he would tell her to be quiet and make her sit in silence. At one point, the defendant tied her up with a phone cord charger, threatened her with scissors, made her undress and sexually assaulted her. The defendant then took the victim upstairs and went through all the rooms on the second floor, looking for more money. He fled the building with $600 of the victim’s money, her credit cards, ID and both of her cell phones. Once the victim realized the defendant had left, she was unable to call police because the defendant took her phones, so she exited the building into the parking lot where she encountered her landlord who called police. With the use of license plate reader hits, cell phone data, historical cell site and DNA analysis, as well as assistance from other law enforcement agencies, police arrested Meynard.
Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Tatiana A. Messina prosecuted the case, along with Prosecutorial Fellow Isabella Nazzaro, with the assistance of Inspector Robert Winkler, Inspector Steven Hunt and Paralegal Specialist Chelsea Meehan.
The Ansonia/Milford Judicial District State's Attorney's Office would like to thank the West Haven Police Department, The Rape Crisis Center of Milford, the Sheriff’s Office in Putnam County, New York, and Sgt. Michael Beauton from the Connecticut State Police for their support and assistance with this prosecution, as well as Assistant State’s Attorney Danielle Hottin and Inspectors Lawrence Smith and Herbert Johnson from the New Haven Judicial District State’s Attorney’s Office for their assistance.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 13, 2027 in Superior Court in Milford.