Sunday, April 27, 2014

Alleged School Prom Killer of Maren Sanchez Named and Identified in Pictures

 


Murder victim Maren Sanchez's yearbook photo from 2013. [Hidden Daily News caption: "Yearbook for Jonathan Law High School of Milford, Ct. Maren Sanchez , was stabbed and killed on April 25, 2014."]
 

Re-posted by Nicholas Stix

Thanks to reader-researcher Jerry for this article.
 

Connecticut teen accused of stabbing fellow student to death held in psych ward


Students attended makeshift memorials at Jonathan Law High School as they tried to come to terms with Friday morning’s horror that left Maren Sanchez, 16, dead with stab wounds to the throat. The murder suspect, identified by classmates as Chris Plaskon, 16, will not appear in Milford, Conn., court for an arraignment Monday, attorney Richard Meehan said. He will be held in a psych ward for at least two weeks, the attorney said.

By Denis Slattery and Stephen Rex Brown
Saturday, April 26, 2014, 8:35 P.M.
New York Daily News
 

The school mourns the loss of Maren, who died with stab wounds to the throat, face and chest on the day of her prom/Julia Xanthos/New York Daily News
 

A twisted teen charged with slitting his fellow student’s throat after she refused to accompany him to their prom will be held in a psych ward for at least two weeks, his attorney said Saturday/Julia Xanthos/New York Daily News

The 16-year-old murder suspect, identified by classmates as Chris Plaskon, will not appear in Milford, Conn., court for an arraignment Monday, attorney Richard Meehan said.

Grief-stricken students returned to makeshift memorials at Jonathan Law High School, struggling to comprehend Friday morning’s horror in the hallways that left Maren Sanchez, 16, dead with stab wounds to the throat, face and chest on the day of her prom.

“I’m mortified that he did this,” said junior Emma Grace, 17.

 

Students mourn the death of Maren Sanchez, 16, who was killed at Jonathan Law High School in Milford, Conn., Friday morning/Julia Xanthos/New York Daily News
 

“Chris was somebody I would never imagine doing this at all. I always thought higher of him. Chris was always someone that was very into sports, nice, friendly, had a lot of friends.”

It’s possible he will be charged as an adult, but he must appear in court first, state’s attorney Kevin Lawlor said.

Doctors typically order the involuntary commitment of a suspect when he is considered a danger to himself. Students said the alleged killer had harbored a crush on Maren, who had recently started dating another student. Witnesses said he shoved her down a school stairwell before cutting the girl with a kitchen knife.
 

Maren Sanchez was killed the day of her school's scheduled prom.
 

Emma said she had become friends with the tragic teen while working on a school play in the 10th grade.

“She was always very happy and proud of who she was,” Emma said. “She was an honors student, in drama club. Everybody loved her.”

As other students bowed their heads in prayer at a rock painted with Maren’s name, Emma said the tragedy felt like a nightmare.
 


Alleged killer Christopher Plaskon. [Hidden Daily News caption: “Christopher Plaskon yearbook photo from 2013 in the yearbook for Jonathan Law High School of Milford, Ct. He stabbed and killed classmate Maren Sanchez on April 25, 2014.”]
 

Yearbook photo of Jarrod Butts, boyfriend of Maren Sanchez. [Hidden Daily News caption: “Jarrod Butts yearbook photo from 2013 in the yearbook for Jonathan Law High School of Milford, Ct. His girlfriend, Maren Sanchez , was stabbed and killed on April 25, 2014.”]
 

“I’m still shocked," she said. “It’s unreal.”

Kassandra Sebas, 16, echoed that sentiment.

“Today it’s really sinking in. Yesterday was like you knew what happened, but you didn't know what to think about it,” she said, weeping as she placed a bouquet of purple flowers at a memorial.
 

Maren Sanchez's accused killer, Chris Plaskon (right), and her boyfriend, Jarrod Butts (left), in a group photo on Facebook. [Hidden Daily News caption: “in this photo are pictured Maren Sanchez's killer Chris Plaskon(thumbs up) and boyfriend Jarrod Butts (green shirt with hand on head). Photo is from there [sic] freshman year. football team. facebook.”]
 

“The fact that I was friends with her and the fact that a lot of my friends were friends with the person that did it is really kind of a weird thing.”

Freshman Keala Hoff recalled Maren as a generous student who didn’t let popularity get to her head.

“She was always supportive of everybody,” said Keala, 15. “When you needed somebody, she was always there.”

Milford police spokesman Jeffrey Nielsen would only say that an investigation into the school slaying was ongoing.

Friday’s prom was canceled. Instead, students held a vigil on the beach and released purple balloons in Maren’s honor. A student identified on Twitter as her boyfriend and date to the dance brought her prom gown to the gathering.

With News Wire Services

dslattery@nydailynews.com

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