UTICA -- A $100 million dollar lawsuit was filed in federal court Tuesday, saying the Utica Police Department didn't do enough to prevent a murder-suicide.
Utica Police officer Joseph Longo fatally stabbed his wife Kristen, before killing himself with the knife in September 2009 at their home in Deerfield. The two were going through a divorce at the time and Joseph Longo was angry over it.
The lawsuit, filed by Kristen Palumbo-Longo's sister, alleges the police department ignored warning signs about Joseph Longo's behavior well before the murder took place.
The suit names the police department, the City of Utica, Mayor David Roefaro, and former police chief Daniel LaBella, who is now the city’s public safety commissioner. LaBella said after the murder-suicide that nobody could have predicted Joseph Longo's actions.
The mayor's office would not comment on the lawsuit, saying the city has not been served with the papers yet.
