(Milford, CT) – Margaret E. Kelley, Ansonia/Milford Judicial District State’s Attorney, today announced that the Honorable Kevin S. Russo on January 7, 2025 sentenced Andre LeFrancois, age 28, of Ansonia, to 35 years in prison for the 2020 murder of Rosali Acquefreda, age 20, of Derby.
On October 3, 2024, LeFrancois pleaded guilty in Superior Court in Milford to a charge of Murder, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-54a. The defendant was arrested on September 2, 2020 following an investigation by the Ansonia Police Department. The Derby Police Department had received numerous calls on the evening of August 30, 2020 about a vehicle striking a pedestrian in the area of Sunset Drive in Derby near the Derby-Ansonia border. At about the same time, Acquefreda’s boyfriend had contacted Ansonia police because he received a call from Acquefreda. The boyfriend reported that Acquefreda was crying during the call and he could hear a male yelling at her. The victim’s boyfriend knew that the victim had a history of domestic violence incidents with LeFrancois and believed it was his voice on the phone.
Ultimately, an investigation showed that LeFrancois had shown up at the victim’s place of work. LeFrancois and the victim left her workplace in her vehicle with their 3-year-old child. An argument erupted during the drive and LeFrancois repeatedly stabbed the victim. Acquefreda was able to escape the vehicle and flee on foot to a nearby home near the Ansonia-Derby line where police found her in the driveway suffering from serious wounds. She was transported to Griffin Hospital where she later died. The defendant fled the scene with the child still in the vehicle and went to his home in Ansonia. Police later located the vehicle and executed several search warrants on the vehicle and the defendant’s home. Blood evidence belonging to the victim was located on the defendant’s sneakers and on a pair of his underwear, as well as in the vehicle.
This case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Howard S. Stein, with the assistance of Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Alanna Paul and Inspector Herbert Johnson.