Retired Police Detective’s Body Found after Months of Search in Hoarded Home

Mary Notarangelo, a former police detective and longtime Wiccan, was discovered dead inside her home in Glastonbury, Connecticut, more than seven months after a welfare check initially raised concern. Her skeletal remains were found beneath a large pile of debris she had hoarded, which had made access to her house extremely difficult.

Authorities responded to the welfare check last July after a friend expressed concern about her health, mentioning that she experienced abdominal cramps, vomiting, and a fall in June. Despite multiple search attempts, the house’s extreme clutter—mountains of garbage, cobwebs, and animals—hampered efforts to locate her earlier. It wasn’t until February, when a crew used an excavator to clear the debris, that her remains were finally uncovered.

Investigators described her residence as one of the worst hoarding conditions they have encountered, with six-foot-high piles blocking entry and a strong, unpleasant odor. Inside, officers found cages with dead birds, mice scavenging about, and a live cat amid the trash. The home featured crawling webs and a nearly impassable interior, requiring officers to climb over heaps of garbage to move through the rooms.

The cause of her death remains undetermined, as her remains were mostly skeletal. It is unclear how she died. Notarangelo, who retired from the Bridgeport Police Department in 1996 after working as a detective and sergeant, was known to be passionate about her faith, her animals, and her interests in Reiki and intuition. She was active on social media, sharing videos of her birds and her love for animals.

Her friend, Patti Steeves, described her as a kind individual with a sense of humor who loved her animals more than herself. Officials did not specify why it took so long to find her or why she delayed seeking help prior to her death. Family members, including her brother and niece, declined to comment.