On the evening of July 23, 1999, Walter Procyk, 40, was shot in the back in a parking lot after closing his Stratford, Connecticut shop, Honeyspot News and Variety. Bystanders found him wounded; he was taken to Bridgeport Hospital and died during surgery the next day, July 24, 1999. Procyk was remembered as a well-liked local businessman known for his kindness and good humor.

Authorities initially treated the shooting as an attempted robbery, but the theory was questioned when the store had not been robbed and Procyk’s wallet remained on his person. Police developed several leads and had one person of particular interest, but those leads went cold and no arrests have been made. Detectives later submitted evidence for advanced DNA testing and enhanced old VHS surveillance footage from that night.

The loss devastated Procyk’s wife and four children and remains one of Stratford’s major cold cases. A reward of $55,000 is offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction. If anyone has information about that night or noticed anything in the parking lot area on July 23, 1999, please contact the Stratford Police Department.