Three teens charged in connection to fight at Shelton party that led to fight, stabbing of Fairfield Prep teen
Three teenagers have been charged with assault in connection to a fight at a party in Shelton in May that led to a fight at a different party later that night where 17-year-old James “Jimmy” McGrath was fatally stabbed, police said.
The Shelton Police Department on Thursday announced that a 16-year-old boy and two 17-year-old boys were charged with assault in connection to a fight at a party that broke out on Lazy Brook Road in Shelton on May 14. During the fight, a 16-year-old boy, who was invited to the party, was assaulted by the three teens, police said. One of the teens, police said, assaulted the victim with a helmet.
That fight, police have said, led to an argument over a group chat that ended with teenagers from St. Joseph’s High School in Trumbull showing up to a 50-person party on Laurel Glen Drive later that night.
At the Laurel Glen Drive party, police alleged that 16-year-old Raul “Lito” Valle, a junior and football player at St. Joseph’s, took out a knife and stabbed four teenagers — one fatally — while fighting on the front lawn.
McGrath, an athlete at Fairfield College Preparatory School, was stabbed once in the chest and died on the lawn, police said.
Valle is charged as an adult in his murder. He faces charges of murder and three counts of first-degree assault for allegedly stabbing three other teens who were wounded in the fight and has not yet entered a plea. He is under house arrest at his mother’s house after posting a $2 million bond, according to police and court records.
Shelton police said Thursday that on July 21, the three teenagers turned themselves in on active arrest warrants.
The 16-year-old and one of the 17-year-olds were charged with third-degree assault and second-degree breach of peace, police said. They have both been released from custody.
The other 17-year-old was charged with second-degree assault and second-degree breach of peace. He was released after posting a $25,000 bond, police said.
All three teens are scheduled to appear in court next on Aug. 3, police said. They have not been identified because of their age.
Valle is scheduled to appear in court next on Sept. 12, according to court records. At his last court appearance earlier this month, his attorney Kevin Smith asked for more time to review evidence in his client’s case.
McGrath’s family and friends were visibly upset before, during and after the court hearing. McGrath’s father has spoken out thanking the community for their support since his son’s mother and asking the teen’s friends to leave the investigation to officials and remain peaceful, despite their pain.
Valle and his family have not commented on the case other than a statement from his father outside the Derby courthouse shortly after the stabbing in which he said “I’m sorry. I’m sorry to the family.”
