State Police Sgt. Walter Grzyb
Police interview dozens in probe of Wilton slaying
By Samantha C. DePoy
Staff Writer

WILTON – Other than a brief break Christmas morning to spend with family members, a team of six to 12 State Police detectives has been working almost around the clock on the apparent murder of Raymond E. “Butch” Weed, said State Police Sgt. Walter Grzyb on Friday afternoon.

The murder is the top priority for the crime investigation unit, CID 1, he said.

On Wednesday and Christmas Day, much of the focus was on searching the home where the 40-year-old contractor lived alone for clues, particularly the entryway where the body was found. Grzyb, the lead investigator, spoke at the Wilton Police Department, which investigators are using as their base.

Now that the forensic investigation is mostly wrapped up, Grzyb said detectives are interviewing anyone who may have seen Weed during his final days or who could offer insight into the man and the crime.

So far, more than 60 people have been interviewed and the investigation has widened to include Farmington and other towns, Grzyb said. He said the house had not yet been turned over to the family.

Grzyb, noting that most of the State Police detectives on the case live outside Franklin County, said Detective Marc Bowering of the Farmington Police Department has been helpful in contacting people that police want to interview.

“In cases that aren’t as obvious, like this one, we have to spend a lot of time learning about the victim,” Grzyb said.

Although police said they know how Weed was killed, they declined to give details. “There are times that it’s appropriate, and times where it isn’t,” said State Police spokesman Stephen McCausland on Friday about revealing how a person was killed or possible leads and suspects. “In this case, it’s the latter.”

Staying aware

Because police have been quiet, there has been concern among townspeople that the murder may have been random. “If it happened in my neighborhood, I’d be concerned, too,” Grzyb said. People should not be nervous, he said, but should always be aware of their surroundings and contact police if they see anything suspicious.

Weed, owner of New Horizons Builders, was found dead at his 32 Main St. home on Tuesday just before 7 p.m. by friends dropping off Christmas presents. He was last seen at Mario’s restaurant having coffee around 5 p.m. Investigators say he was killed between 5:30 p.m. and the time he was found.

A member of the Wilton Lions Club and a youth sports coach, Weed joined the Wilton Planning Board in 1997, resigning last spring. On his 1997 application, he wrote that he was interested in construction, environmental issues and outdoor sports.

Married in 1989 to Patricia Knight of Wilton, according to state records, Weed was divorced within the last two years.

His father, Raymond H. Weed Jr. of Weld, died in April. The two were close and the father worked part-time for his son as a painter.

‘Friend of the town’

“He was a wonderful person. Caring. Giving,” said Shannon Smith, who organized the town’s bicentennial last summer. Smith would often chat with him over coffee at Mario’s.

In addition to the G. H. Bass Co. closing its Wilton distribution center, which will cost the town 125 jobs, now six more people will lose good-paying jobs, Smith noted sadly, referring to Weed’s employees. “It’s one more devastating thing for this community. It’s been really tough.”

Weed planned a trip to Disney World soon and then a cruise, she said. He was giving his crew paid vacation during that time and told them they could have another vacation in the summer if they wanted it, Smith said.

“He was loved by the community. You don’t hear a bad thing about him. We are all sick over this,” she went on. “We just want the person who did it to be found. It won’t make it better, it will just give it closure. He was a friend of the town. If they do have a funeral, it will be a big one.”

Selectman Jeff Rowe was one of the last to see Weed on Tuesday. The two ran into each other at Mario’s, as they often did, and spoke over coffee.

Rowe said ever since Weed moved to town in the 1980s, he fit right in.

“He was one of us, one of the guys,” Rowe said Friday night. Weed liked ATVs and snowmobiling and was very work-oriented, Rowe said.

“Butch never did a thing to hurt anybody. It’s just hard for me to understand why,” Rowe said, adding that many people don’t think it’s random and believe there is a reason behind what happened.