Olive Street Death Ruled Homicide - Update

Police say they are now ruling the gunshot death of an Olive Street man last Friday morning a homicide, and are investigating it as such.

Richard West, 49, was found unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the chest in the first floor of his 76 Olive Street home at about 1:15 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 3, Police Spokesman Sgt. Darrin McKay said Monday. Police were called and West was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers continued to , and by late afternoon that day still had not made the call whether the death was a suicide or homicide.

An autopsy by the Medical Examiner's Office was completed over the weekend, and according to McKay, because of their findings, the death is under investigation as a homicide.

"Everything's trajectory – positioning of the wound, entrance wound, exit wound," McKay said of how the ME can rule whether a gunshot wound would be self-inflicted or caused by another person.

Police say the shooting took place at the Olive Street home. West was shot with his own handgun, McKay said. It was registered to him and had a valid permit.

Officers have not named any suspects in the shooting. They are interviewing West's girlfriend, who was reportedly in the home at the time, according to McKay.

"As far as labeling her a suspect, it's too early to say," McKay said. "Were getting as much information from her as we can right now."

Police ask anyone with information to call Det. John Wagner at 203-630-6318.

West's next door neighbor Wilmarie Obcasio told Meriden Patch on Friday afternoon that she hadn't heard a gunshot or anything else unusual from the home overnight, until police showed up early Friday morning with sirens and checked the grounds with flashlights.

Obcasio said she didn't know the man who lived next door, and Wilkins Pimentel, a clerk from the corner store, G&G, up the block said he had just moved in about a month ago.

The last homicide in Meriden was in 2010, according to McKay.

Last Update 12:17 p.m.