Devil Murder in Brookfield CT!

The very first murder in Brookfield, Connecticut history occurred 43 years ago – in February of 1981.

At first, it seemed like a run of the mill type of murder – one man stabbed another man who he knew, in front of witnesses.

Yet, it would soon turn into anything but a routine murder case.

The deceased was the 40-year-old manager of a dog kennel. Alan Bono ran the kennel on what is today known as Federal Road. Back then, it was Route 7 – before the Super 7 highway was built from Danbury to New Milford.

When police received the frantic call that there had been a stabling in the parking lot of the kennels, they arrived and found Bono bleeding profusely and having considerable difficulty breathing. They sped off to Danbury Hospital in the town ambulance, but before they could arrive he had passed away.

Police found a knife on the edge of the grass near the kennel parking lot. They interviewed a 26-year-old woman and three young girls. They told police they had seen the girls’ brother – 19-year-old Arne Johnson – stab Alan Bono and then flee.

Police found Johnson nearly a mile from the scene, walking up an embankment from the Housatonic Railroad train tracks. They said he was incoherent, had put up no resistance when arrested, and didn’t recall the stabbing.

Everything about this supposedly routine case changed drastically when Debbie Glatzel – who was Arnie Johnson’s girlfriend – approached the media and shared a fantastical story about demonic possession. Debbie flatly stated that Arnie hadn’t stabbed Alan Bono – rather, The Devil had done the stabbing.

Debbie recounted incidents dating back nearly a year, saying that her family had been struggling with the demonic possession of her 9-year-old brother, David Glatzel. She said that the Catholic Church and the well-known ghost-chaser couple Ed and Lorraine Warren had been involved in trying to help David rid himself of demonic elements.

According to Debbie, an incident occurred during one of her brother’s demonic fits that substantially changed the dynamics of the situation. She said that Arnie had challenged the Devil to leave the boy and take him on instead. Afterwards, she said that Arnie started to exhibit characteristics himself of being possessed.

The Demonologist for the Bridgeport Diocese confirmed that special services were held for the family on the Brookfield Catholic Church property. But, he said they were not the high rites of exorcism, known as Ritual Romano, contradicting the claims of the Warrens.

In any event, the subsequent trial featured the first and only time in United States history that a defendant tried to introduce a not guilty plea by reason of demonic possession, but the judge blocked the attempt.

Among the many movies that have been made about this case is one from October, 2023, which you can still see on Netflix: The Devil on Trial.

Also, you can click on this link to hear the story on the podcast Amazing Tales from Off and On Connecticut’s Beaten Path, with your host Mike Allen, who covered the case as a journalist in 1981. (When the Devil was Accused of Murder in Connecticut)

"Listeners can now tune in to WICC Radio (600 AM and 95.9 FM) every Saturday at 5:00 pm to hear all about the Amazing Tales from Off and On Connecticut's Beaten Path."