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On May 22, a Stamford man, 54-year-old Robert Simmons, was sentenced to a maximum term of 85 years for the murder of 93-year-old Isabella Mehner during a home invasion in Stamford, Connecticut. Judge Gary White handed down a life sentence, which is considered a "life sentence" under state statute, for Simmons' conviction of murder in the bludgeoning death of Mehner on September 25, 2019.
Judge White imposed a 60-year sentence, equivalent to a life sentence, for the murder conviction. Simmons will commence serving this sentence after completing a 25-year prison term for the home invasion and first-degree burglary convictions in the case. The judge described the killing as brutal, heinous, unnecessary, and completely unjustified.
Prosecutors stated that, after conducting an autopsy the day following the murder, the medical examiner concluded that Isabella Mehner's death inside her Stamford home was, indeed, a result of homicide.
Isabella Mehner's lifeless body was discovered by her daughter in the former's Stamford home
Ellen Blanchard, the daughter of Isabella Mehner, discovered her mother's lifeless body on September 25, 2019. She had gone to her mother's home on Cove Road in Stamford, Connecticut, after being unable to reach her over the phone.
Ellen Blanchard expressed profound sadness, anger, and a loss of will to live. She was unable to shake the heart-wrenching image of her mother's final moments.
According to the police, surveillance cameras in the Stamford neighborhood captured Simmons entering Mehner's Stamford residence that evening and leaving just eight minutes later. Simmons had previously worked at the house while employed by a plumbing company owned by one of Mehner's family members.
Authorities also discovered Mehner's blood on Simmons' pants and his DNA under her fingernails. Additionally, Mehner's wedding and engagement rings were missing, along with cash from her wallet, according to a report by News12.
Moreover, the police reported that Simmons provided inconsistent accounts of the events of that night, with his story changing during each interview. Initially, Simmons denied knowing Mehner, then admitted knowing her but claimed he was not at her home. Later, Simmons confessed to going to Mehner's house to ask for money for a beer and cigarette. He insisted that Mehner was still alive when he left.
Stamford man accused of murder was suffering from bipolar disorder claims his defense attorney
Robert Simmons' defense attorney, Kevin Black, maintained his client's innocence regarding Mehner's death and made a motion for acquittal or a new trial. However, the motion was denied by Judge White.
But Black pointed out Simmons' history of serious substance abuse and bipolar disorder, along with his own traumatic past. He lost his father to murder at a young age. So his attorney appealed for the minimum sentence of 25 years.
On the other hand, Assistant State's Attorney Elizabeth Moran called for the maximum penalty against Simmons, citing his deplorable actions during the home invasion and murder. She emphasized that Mehner's life was senselessly taken over something as trivial as a beer, a cigarette, and a few dollars.
Members of Mehner's family were also given the opportunity to share their impact statements before Simmons' sentencing. Ellen Blanchard, Mehner's daughter, recounted the trauma of discovering her mother's lifeless and battered body at the bottom of the basement stairs and emphasized that her mother had the right to live, a right brutally taken away by Simmons.
Maryanne Crane, Mehner's youngest sister, wrote a letter lamenting the vicious manner in which her sister was murdered in Stamford. She highlighted that their family not only lost a sister, mother, and grandmother that day but also the keeper of their family history.
Kathy Mehner, Isabella Mehner's daughter-in-law, labeled Simmons as a coward for preying on a defenseless 93-year-old. She expressed her desire for his punishment to mirror the brutality he inflicted on Mehner in her Stamford residence, suggesting six bashes to the head and two broken fingers.
After the sentencing, Ellen Blanchard, reflecting on the sentencing, acknowledged that, while she was glad Simmons received 85 years, she believed the death penalty would have provided the closure that her mother deserved.
