Cole Theodore Werhan, 28, from Burlington, Connecticut, was arrested on June 25, 2026, and charged with murder in connection with the death of his girlfriend, 26-year-old Janina Brooke Murphy, from Duxbury, Massachusetts. Murphy was found dead at the bottom of a staircase in March, and the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner later ruled her death a homicide due to blunt force injury to the head.
Court records indicate that Werhan had a pending domestic violence case involving another woman, who alleged that he strangled, threatened, and assaulted her after they met on a dating app. The woman reported multiple incidents of physical abuse, including being slapped and held down, and stated that she feared for her life.
In addition to the murder charge, Werhan faces charges in the domestic violence case, including second-degree strangulation, threatening, and disorderly conduct. He is currently held on a $5 million cash bond and was arraigned in Torrington Superior Court. Prosecutors described him as an extreme danger to the community. The investigation into Murphy's death is ongoing, and authorities have not yet provided a response from Werhan's attorney.