Dark Downeast: "The Murder of Eugenio DeLeon Vega (Connecticut)" – Episode Summary
Podcast Host: Kylie Lowe | Date: October 30, 2025 | Podcast: Dark Downeast – Maine and New England's True Crime Podcast

Overview: A 30-Year Legal Odyssey

This episode delves into the 1993 murder of Eugenio DeLeon Vega, a beloved grocer from New Haven, Connecticut. Host Kylie Lowe unfolds a complex, decades-spanning wrongful conviction case that exposed failings in the state’s criminal justice system. With a focus on narrative depth, community context, and the enduring search for answers, Kylie explores the impact of the crime on the Fairhaven neighborhood, the trials and tribulations of George Gould and Ronald Taylor, and the evolving legal, forensic, and personal revelations that have kept the case alive for over thirty years.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Crime & Its Impact ([02:07] – [08:41])

• Eugenio’s Role in the Community:

  • Eugenio was more than a store owner; he was central to the Fairhaven neighborhood, often extending credit, aiding families, and acting as a stabilizing presence.
  • Quote: “To say Eugenio was beloved by his community feels like an understatement.” ([03:31], Kylie Lowe)

• Discovery of the Crime:

  • On July 4, 1993, Eugenio was found murdered in the back freezer of his store, La Casa Green. His hands were bound, and he’d been shot in the head.
  • Odd details confounded police: large sums of cash were left behind; valuables still on the body; no sign of forced entry.

• Community Reaction:

  • The event shocked Fairhaven, fueling fears over rising crime and the loss of a symbol of safety.
  • Hundreds gathered outside the store, reflecting the depth of community grief.

2. The Investigation & Arrests ([08:41] – [15:17])

• Early Suspects:

  • After weeks without leads, police questioned Doreen Stiles, a woman arrested for unrelated charges who claimed to have witnessed two men leaving the scene.
  • Doreen identified George Gould and Ronald Taylor, both known in the neighborhood, although theirs was a recent acquaintance.
  • Another witness, Mary Boyd, provided an unreliable account, citing "movement of people of color" in the store—adding to investigators’ focus on Gould and Taylor.

• Circumstantial Evidence:

  • No physical evidence linked the men to the crime; the murder weapon was never recovered.
  • Both men had committed minor crimes the night before but denied involvement in the murder. Their timelines nearly—but not entirely—excluded them.

3. Trial and Convictions ([15:17] – [18:14])

• The Case Against Gould & Taylor:

  • The prosecution relied almost exclusively on Doreen Styles’ identification; her trial testimony was recorded from her hospital room due to illness.
  • Defense highlighted her compromised state and inconsistent memory due to substance use.
  • Quote, Prosecution’s Standpoint: “The case rises and falls with Doreen Stiles. If you believe her, you'll convict. If you think she's lying, you'll acquit.” ([15:57], Prosecutor James Clark)
  • Quote, Defense’s Critique: “If Doreen Stiles is all the state needs to convict someone of murder, then God help us all.” ([16:19], Defense Attorney Chris DiMarco)

• Outcome:

  • Both men were convicted of felony murder and robbery, sentenced to 80 years each, and maintained their innocence.

4. Appeals, Recantations, & Revelations ([18:14] – [28:57])

• Habeas Corpus and PI Investigation:

  • Private Investigator Gerald O’Donnell, hired by the defense, found major discrepancies in Doreen’s timeline. Doreen confessed she’d lied due to police pressure and withdrawal symptoms, corroborated by later DNA testing which excluded both men from evidence found on the binding cord.

• Witness Changes:

  • Doreen Stiles and Mary Boyd both recanted their trial testimonies, alleging coercion and threats from the police.

• Judge’s Decision:

  • In 2010, Judge Stanley T. Fugier Jr. called the convictions a “manifest injustice,” ordering the men’s release after 16 years behind bars.

5. Legal Reversals & Years of Turmoil ([28:57] – [36:49])

• Supreme Court Reinstates Convictions:

  • In 2011, Connecticut’s highest court ruled that discrediting evidence was not enough for exoneration—affirmative proof of actual innocence was needed. Both men’s convictions were reinstated.
  • Quote from ruling: “Actual innocence requires affirmative evidence that the petitioners did not commit the crimes...not simply the discrediting of evidence on which the conviction rested.” ([28:57], Kylie Lowe)

• Further Legal Battles:

  • Ronald Taylor, terminally ill, died shortly after release; George Gould remained imprisoned.
  • Subsequent habeas corpus attempts failed; O’Donnell was convicted of bribery and tampering after controversial interactions with Doreen Stiles.

6. New Evidence and Final Exoneration ([36:49] – [46:49])

• Conviction Integrity Unit Findings:

  • In 2021, George Gould was released after a sentence reduction, but remained a convicted killer.
  • Connecticut’s Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) reinvestigated and found no forensic evidence tying George or Ronald to the crime. They highlighted overlooked alternative suspects, especially Eugenio’s own son, Carlos DeLeon, whom family alleged had motive and confessed privately to the murder.
  • Quote from CIU report via family member: “I feel so ashamed of my father being a murderer, killing his own father.” ([37:59], Kylie Lowe cites daughter of Carlos)

• Legal Endgame:

  • In February 2024, George Gould’s conviction was vacated; he was finally fully exonerated.

• Ongoing Lawsuit:

  • George Gould is now suing the city and police for their role in the wrongful conviction and is seeking both compensatory and punitive damages.
  • Connecticut’s state claims commissioner awarded Gould $6.7 million in compensation.
  • Quote about the true cost: “The case isn't just about money for George, it's about holding people accountable for a system that took nearly 30 years to admit it got it wrong.” ([45:27], Kylie Lowe)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Kylie Lowe on Eugenio’s reputation:
  “To say Eugenio was beloved by his community feels like an understatement.” ([03:31])

• Prosecutor James Clark:
  “The case rises and falls with Doreen Stiles. If you believe her, you'll convict. If you think she's lying, you'll acquit.” ([15:57])

• Defense Attorney Chris DiMarco:
  “If Doreen Stiles is all the state needs to convict someone of murder, then God help us all.” ([16:19])

• Ronald Taylor, on his innocence:
  “Someone said I killed someone. That's not my style. I was involved in one little robbery in a hallway the night before, and that wasn't even a robbery. He gave me the money.” ([16:57])

• Kylie Lowe, on the lasting question:
  “If George and Ronald were innocent, as they steadfastly claimed, who really killed Eugenio De Leon Vega?” ([33:19])

• Carlos DeLeon, on suspicions against him:
  “How the hell am I going to do something to my own father? It's stupid. It's a nightmare. I loved my father so much.” ([42:05])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:07] - Introduction to the crime and Eugenio’s background
• [05:42] - Discovery of the body & initial investigation
• [13:30] - Police focus shifts to Ronald Taylor & George Gould
• [15:17] - The 1995 trial and reliance on Doreen Stiles’ testimony
• [18:14] - Post-conviction appeals and recantations begin
• [23:40] - Judge Fugier overturns convictions, men released
• [28:57] - Connecticut Supreme Court reverses exoneration
• [32:45] - Second habeas proceedings, confusion and legal turmoil
• [36:49] - CIU re-opens the case; new evidence, suspicion on Carlos
• [42:00] - Legal exoneration of George Gould; ongoing lawsuit

Tone & Language

Throughout the episode, Kylie maintains her hallmark heart-centered, conscientious tone—centered on compassion for victims and careful skepticism of legal institutions. She uses plainspoken, engaging language, giving room for both personal anguish and systemic critique:

“What began as a 1993 murder case had turned into a decades long debate of unreliable memories, shaky truths and the doubts that never quite went away.” ([34:40])

“Every conversation about this case, every appeal, every new test, every court filing, it all still traces back to Eugenio… who trusted people even when he shouldn't have, and who left behind a family and a community still trying to reconcile his loss.” ([45:39])

Conclusion

Kylie Lowe’s narrative underscores the human cost of miscarried justice, shining a light on the loss experienced by Eugenio’s family and the legal system’s long path to (partial) redemption. Although George Gould is now free and exonerated, the circumstances of Eugenio DeLeon Vega’s murder remain clouded—and the podcast leaves listeners with the haunting central question: Who really killed the grocer, and what lessons have we learned in our pursuit of justice?

For further reading and sources, visit: darkdowneast.com