Tim Yergeau, a former Connecticut Planned Parenthood executive, died by suicide on Tuesday, just days after police bungled a raid intended to arrest him on child pornography charges. The raid mistakenly targeted his New Haven neighbor's apartment.
Yergeau, 36, was the former director of strategic communications at the Southern New England branch of Planned Parenthood. His death was confirmed by New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson to the New Haven Registrar. "The person who died was definitely the suspect in a child pornography investigation and the person who committed suicide," Jacobson stated.
On April 14, the Special Victims Unit investigating the child pornography case mistakenly broke down the door of Yergeau's neighbor and handcuffed her before realizing they had targeted the wrong apartment. "They obviously hit the wrong door," Jacobson told the New Haven Registrar.
New Haven police's internal affairs investigators are now examining how the raid was mishandled. "Unfortunately, a mistake was made," Jacobson admitted. "We feel for the woman and we're going to do everything we can to make it right."
While Jacobson didn't explicitly confirm that Yergeau was the child pornography suspect, both his neighbor and the state Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner confirmed that Yergeau died by suicide on Tuesday morning.
Following his departure from Planned Parenthood, Yergeau began working as marketing and communications director at Long Wharf Theatre in August 2022. "We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn the developments of the last 24 hours," a theater spokesperson told the New Haven Registrar, adding that it would be inappropriate to comment further.
Until police confirm that no other suspects were involved, they will not release the search warrant application or provide information about what was found in Yergeau's apartment due to two ongoing investigations.
The state of Connecticut also has the option to withhold the warrant.
Stacey Wezenter, Yergeau's neighbor and the victim of the botched raid, expressed her trauma to the New Haven Registrar, questioning the consequences if she or her child had been armed when police entered her apartment.