David Cote Jr., 34, a white male, died on March 27, 2025, in Wolcott, Connecticut, after a domestic dispute at his father’s home erupted into gunfire. Police said Cote Jr., who lived in Colchester, was at the Bound Line Road residence with his mother, Michelle Cote, helping his father, David Cote Sr., move out when an argument escalated. During the altercation, the father drew a handgun and shot Michelle and then their son.
A friend who had accompanied Cote Jr., legally armed and inside the home, then shot and killed the elder Cote. Officers arrived shortly after a 6:30 p.m. 911 call and found all three family members dead in a bedroom.
Authorities later identified the victims and described the scene, noting that the father, 59, from Wolcott, died of multiple gunshot wounds and was found still gripping the weapon when police entered. The family had been separated for about a year, and the move-out was part of the ongoing divorce. Investigators documented numerous firearms owned by the father and collected evidence as Major Crimes detectives reconstructed the sequence of events. Obituaries and memorial notices for Cote Jr. placed his date of death on March 27 and located the tragedy in Wolcott.
Police have said they do not expect arrests in the case and sought to close it without charges, pending formal sign-off by the State’s Attorney. The friend who shot the father was not publicly named, and authorities described his actions in the immediate aftermath, including calling 911; they reported no charges against him as of the most recent updates.
