On May 18, 2018, the life of James Stone Jr., a 36-year-old Caucasian male from Colchester, Connecticut, was brought to a tragic and violent end. He was found shot to death inside a trailer on the Golden Hill Paugusett Reservation. Stone, who had recently moved to an apartment near the Colchester Town Green, had returned to his former residence on Stanavage Road that evening simply to gather some of his personal belongings.
Instead, he was met with fatal violence, sustaining gunshot wounds to his leg and torso. The remote location of the trailer has been cited by investigators as a complicating factor in a case that has remained unsolved for years.
Known to his friends and family as Jimmy, he was remembered as a kind, generous person who was always willing to help others. A graduate of Bacon Academy and Three Rivers Community College, he worked as a carpenter and was skilled in various trades. He had a deep appreciation for the outdoors and enjoyed fishing, snowboarding, and swimming. Stone also had a passion for music and played the drums. He had developed a close relationship with the Paugussett tribe, befriending members and taking an interest in their culture and history, which led to him renting a spot for his trailer on the reservation.
The investigation into his murder is ongoing, but authorities have yet to make any arrests or publicly name any suspects. Investigators have told his family they have not established a motive, but do not believe the killing was related to drugs, a relationship, or gang activity. In the years since his death, his family has continued to seek justice, pleading for anyone with information to come forward. To encourage leads, a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible was established; it was later doubled from $25,000 to $50,000 as state police intensified their investigation, continuing to vigorously pursue all leads.
