Milford, CT — A man accused of killing his former girlfriend in her Milford home while her children were inside has accepted a plea deal for 40 years to serve, according to court documents.
Ewen Dewitt, 45, was suspected of killing 40-year-old Julie Minogue in December 2022.
Authorities believe he used an axe as the weapon while her 3-year-old and 17-year-old sons were in the home.
Minogue had a protective order against Dewitt following two prior incidents, including one just days before she was killed.
Milford police arrested Dewitt in November 2019 for allegedly assaulting Minogue, leading to a protective order. On Dec. 1, 2022, she obtained a full no-contact restraining order after reporting harassing text messages.
In documentation NBC Connecticut obtained, Minogue expressed fear for her life. She told police, “I was scared Dewitt was going to kill me.”
Five days later, police found her dead inside her home. Days after the killing, investigators located Dewitt in a trailer outside a West Haven bar and took him into custody.
Dewitt was charged with murder, risk of injury to a child, home invasion, criminal violation of a restraining order, and violation of a protective order. Court documents show he pleaded guilty to two of those charges. His sentencing is scheduled for May 22.
Minogue left behind three sons. Her father, Gerald Minogue, spoke in court last November when the state offered the plea deal.
“Her oldest son just got engaged,” he said. “The baby is now 5 years old, and he is doing extremely well in his new life. But you know, they do miss their mother.”
“We want to get the justice that my daughter deserves and that her children can realize that someone is going to be held accountable for what happened,” he said.
