Jury verdict news card: Milford Superior Court, West Haven case

MILFORD β€” A jury in Milford Superior Court has convicted a Stamford man of breaking into a West Haven business and home in 2024, robbing the woman who lived there and sexually assaulting her.

The jury found Terrell Meynard, 44, guilty on Oct. 21 of home invasion, third-degree burglary, first-degree robbery and first-degree sexual assault, State’s Attorney Margaret E. Kelley of the Ansonia/Milford Judicial District announced Thursday.

What prosecutors told the jury

According to the Division of Criminal Justice, the attack happened on Aug. 18, 2024, at a building on Main Street in West Haven where the victim, a 57-year-old woman, ran a business on the first floor and lived on the second.

Prosecutors said she heard the business doorbell ring several times. When she opened the door slightly, Meynard pushed his way in, grabbed her by the neck and demanded money. He went through every room on the first floor looking for cash, then tied her up with a phone charger cord, threatened her with scissors and sexually assaulted her, according to the state. He then searched the second floor before fleeing with about $600, her credit cards, her ID and both of her cell phones.

Because her phones were gone, the woman couldn’t call for help. She went outside to the parking lot, where her landlord called police, the state said.

How police found him

West Haven police identified Meynard using license plate reader hits, cell phone data, historical cell site records and DNA analysis, along with help from other agencies, according to the release.

Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Tatiana A. Messina prosecuted the case with Prosecutorial Fellow Isabella Nazzaro. The State’s Attorney’s office thanked the West Haven Police Department, the Rape Crisis Center of Milford, the Putnam County, N.Y., Sheriff’s Office and Connecticut State Police for their help.

What’s next

Meynard is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 13, 2027, in Superior Court in Milford.

THE CASE

Defendant: Terrell Meynard, 44, of Stamford

Verdict: Guilty on all four counts, Oct. 21, 2026

Charges: Home invasion; burglary, 3rd degree; robbery, 1st degree; sexual assault, 1st degree

Court: Superior Court, Milford (Ansonia/Milford Judicial District)

Sentencing: Jan. 13, 2027

Source: Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice, Oct. 22, 2026

If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual violence, Connecticut’s free, confidential 24-hour hotline is 1-888-999-5545 (English) or 1-888-568-8332 (Spanish).

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By Milford Voice News Team

Local news for Milford, Orange, Stratford and West Haven. Got a tip? Email news@milfordvoice.com

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