(New London, CT) – Paul J. Narducci, New London Judicial District State’s Attorney, announced that the Honorable John M. Newson today sentenced George Dodson, age 26, to 50 years in prison for the murder of a woman and endangering the life of her son during an arson fire in New London in 2022.
Dodson pleaded guilty in New London Superior Court on February 19, 2025 to charges of Murder, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-54a, Risk of Injury to a Minor, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53-21(a)(1) and Arson in the First Degree, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-111.
New London police responding to an emergency-911 call of a fire at a residence on July 20, 2022 found the defendant outside the home. New London firefighters successfully extinguished the fire and found an unresponsive woman in the home suffering from significant trauma to her head and torso and her 13-month-old child in a crib on the second floor. The woman succumbed to her injuries but the child survived. The defendant admitted to bludgeoning the woman with a hammer and setting the house on fire.
“Although this prison sentence can never erase the pain of such a horrific and senseless act, the Office of the New London State’s Attorney hopes that this result brings some peace and comfort to the victim’s family and friends,” State’s Attorney Narducci said.
This case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Stephen M. Carney. This office would like to thank the U.S. Navy, New London Police Department, New London Fire Department, the staff of Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for their work on this case.