The grim discovery of a former detective’s remains beneath mounds of garbage inside her Connecticut home has left authorities and the public stunned. Mary Notarangelo, 73, a retired officer from the Bridgeport Police Department, was found dead in February 2025, more than seven months after she was reported missing in July 2024. Her decomposed body was buried under piles of trash in her Tollgate Road residence, which authorities described as one of the most extreme hoarding cases they have ever encountered.

Police bodycam footage, now released, captures the shocking state of Notarangelo’s home. Video from their first visit in July 2024 showed used toilet paper, plastic bottles, food containers, and scattered debris covering nearly every inch of the house. The home, filled with cages of dead birds, live mice, and a lone surviving cat, was nearly impossible to navigate. Officers wearing hazmat suits and masks could be seen stepping over heaps of trash during their investigation.

Notarangelo, who retired from the force in 1996, lived alone and was rarely visited due to her reclusive lifestyle and the appalling condition of her home. It wasn’t until February 2025, during a second cleanup attempt involving an excavator, that her remains were located beneath the debris near the front door.

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Friend Raised Early Concerns

According to the bodycam footage and police reports, a concerned friend initially filed the missing person report. He told officers he hadn’t seen Notarangelo since mid-June 2024, when she sent a message saying she had fallen and was suffering from vomiting and abdominal pain. He also pointed out bags of bird seed left outside, noting she would never let her beloved birds go unfed.

During the first police visit, officers found only empty bird cages and no signs of Notarangelo. Despite multiple searches, including the use of a cadaver dog, drones, and a biohazard cleanup team, her remains remained undetected due to the home’s hazardous state.

Most Severe Hoarding Case In Town’s History

“This was by far the most extensive hoarding situation we’ve encountered,” said Public Information Officer Kevin Szydlo of the Glastonbury Police Department. Police Chief Marshall Porter added that while several efforts were made to find her, the home’s filthy and unsafe conditions made the search nearly impossible.

 

Only after months of effort, and with the help of a heavy-duty excavation team, did officials finally locate her remains, tragically confirming her death long after she had passed.