Nearly $10,000 in cash that was evidence in a Connecticut murder case disappeared from the decades-old safe in the Bridgeport Police Department's record room, it was reported Sunday.
The money was discovered missing last month, sparking an investigation, according to the CT Post, which also quoted police sources as saying another $30,000 may be missing from the evidence safe.
“Upon being made aware of this issue (the missing $9,535), I immediately referred it to the Office of Internal Affairs and an investigation was launched,” Police Chief Joseph Gaudett told the paper. “The investigation is ongoing and it’s our policy not to comment when it comes to ongoing investigations.”
The $9,535 was locked in the safe after it was seized in 2011 from Abimael Ramos following his arrest in the murder of his girlfriend.
The money couldn't be found when an investigator went to the record room Oct. 14 to pick up the money to present to the jury at Ramos’ murder trial, CT Post reported.
The paper reported that a police memo says the money was received by the sergeant in charge of the property room, who was identified as John Devone.
The paper reported that in 2013, Devone was arrested on a custodial interference charge involving his 3-year-old grandson and allowed to return to duty when the case was resolved.
Devone is now on disabled leave and could not be reached for comment, the paper reported.
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