A Connecticut man is accused of beating a woman to death with a baseball bat over $200 worth of cocaine before dismembering her body and disposing of it at a nearby cemetery.
The Crime
Donald Coffel, 39, stands accused of first-degree murder in the death of 58-year-old Suzanne Wormser. According to police, on March 19, 2023, a passerby noticed a foul odor coming from a suitcase near the entrance of Colonel Ledyard Cemetery in Groton, Connecticut. The caller, curious about the smell, opened the suitcase and found a torso inside, missing the head and other body parts.
The Groton Police Department launched an investigation and, on April 11, released information about the case. The investigation intensified when Wormser’s sister reported she had not heard from her in months, which was unusual. She also noticed Wormser had not called her for her birthday.
Discovery and Arrest
Police soon learned that Coffel had been living with Wormser at her Allen Street apartment in Groton. Neighbors confirmed they hadn’t seen Wormser for months, and Coffel was in the hospital at the time. When officers entered the apartment, they discovered blood on the walls, furniture, and clothing, as well as a baseball bat hidden behind a bookcase, with dried blood and strands of hair on it.
Coffel’s Statement
Officers interviewed Coffel, who was receiving treatment for pancreatic cancer at the time. During a non-custodial interview, Coffel claimed he had been Wormser’s neighbor before moving to Arizona for a while. When his plans in Arizona didn’t work out, he moved back to Groton and lived with Wormser in late November 2022.
Coffel claimed that Wormser had mental health and drug problems, and though he didn’t like her, he stayed with her because she allowed him to live in the apartment. He told police that after his back surgery in December, he returned home in January and noticed Wormser left for a few days, which wasn’t unusual, according to Coffel.
However, after testing the blood found in the apartment, investigators confirmed it was a DNA match to the remains in the suitcase.
Confession
On April 22, police received a tip from a witness who said Coffel confessed to him that he beat Wormser with a baseball bat because she had stolen $200 worth of cocaine from him.
Police returned to the hospital on April 23, confronted Coffel with the new information, and questioned him about his DNA being found on her body. After repeated questioning, Coffel allegedly confessed.
“Alright man,” he said, according to the affidavit. “I did it. I hit her in the head with a f—ing baseball bat and it cracked her f—ing head open.”
Coffel allegedly admitted to killing Wormser in early January 2023 after she stole his drugs. He said he hit her three times in the head with the bat, killing her. He then lived with her body for about a week and a half before dismembering her using a hacksaw. He discarded the body parts in trash bags, with the torso placed in the suitcase and taken to the cemetery, according to the affidavit.
Arrest and Charges
Police have obtained a murder warrant and arrested Coffel at the hospital, where he remains in custody. He is charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, and other related charges.
Due to the gruesome nature of the crime and the initial lack of public details, rumors about a serial killer spread. However, police confirmed at a press conference that this case is unrelated to any other incidents.
