Two accused of vandalizing Newtown school memorial that remembers 26 shooting victims

Two people have been arrested for defacing a popular mural that honored lives lost in a school shooting in Connecticut.

According to Southington Police, officers investigated a report of a vandalism done to the detached garages on the property of 245 Summer Street, Southington. The property owner donated the back of one structure for a mural painted in remembrance of the 26 victims in the Newtown school shooting. Police stated that although there have been incidents in the past concerning the mural, vandals in this incident were the first to deface the actual memorial mural. Vandals in this incident used spray paint, covering the mural and butterflies that represented the victims.

Officers, with the assistance of Plainville Police, were able to identify two suspects, Lorenzo Cavallo, 20, of Plainville, and Gina Lombardi, 21, of Bristol. During a police interview, Lombardi was apologetic, stating she did not know the significance to the mural and was not intentionally defacing the memorial. Lombardi stated that she was frustrated with Law Enforcement over an incident in Plainville, felt helpless and had a bad knee jerk reaction. Lombardi confessed to partially vandalizing the memorial, confirming that Lorenzo was also responsible for adding additional graffiti. Several attempts to contact Lorenzo Cavallo went unanswered.

According to the property owner, the cost to repair the mural was estimated to be approximately $2500.00, not including additional graffiti on the side of the building, estimated to be another couple hundred dollars. The investigation resulted in an arrest warrant being written for both Lombardi and Cavallo.

On January 19, Cavallo turned himself into the Southington Police Department and was charged with Criminal Mischief in the first degree and Conspiracy to Commit Criminal Mischief in the first degree. Cavallo was processed and held on a $150,000 court set bond.

On January 19, Lombardi turned herself into the Southington Police Department and was charged with Criminal Mischief in the first degree and Conspiracy to Commit Criminal Mischief in the first degree. Lombardi was processed and held on a $10,000 surety bond.