EPISODE · Oct 10, 2025 · 40 MIN
A Murder In A Small Town With Cynthia Herbert Bruschi Adams
from Vertical Momentum Resiliency Podcast 2.0 · host Richard Kaufman
In this chilling episode, I sit down with psychologist-author Cynthia Herbert-Bruschi Adams to navigate the harrowing story behind First He Killed the MinutemanWe trace Peter Manfredonia’s 2020 rampage — from a brutal samurai sword attack in a quiet Connecticut neighborhood, to a terrifying home invasion in which a man was held hostage in his own basement, to the murder of a childhood friend and the kidnapping of his girlfriend as he dragged her across state lines. Newly released 911 calls, body cam footage, and police interviews shed haunting light on the moments of confusion, fear, and desperation that followed each twist in the chase. Manfredonia, a former UConn student, later admitted to being in a manic, suicidal state — scribbling cryptic messages on his walls that investigators say he couldn’t fully recall. Throughout our conversation, Cynthia reveals never-before-heard reflections from her correspondence with Manfredonia, the emotional toll of weaving this dark narrative, and her belief that there were warning signs — red flags that might have altered this deadly path. If you’re drawn to true crime that probes beyond the headlines unearthing motive, mental health, entropy, and the human cost — subscribe now, share this episode, and pick up this book 📖 at https://us.amazon.com/First-Killed-Minuteman-Cynthia-Herbert-Bruschi/dp/1835431992?ref_=ast_author_dp&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.qY85ftD_EbcLMgerk-YtVajxp1y4fSSWSVscH-WvGzo8s4s1tj6eoF_iDiCEjzyCWNx6neANziWSD74A4pmqhA.hZ8z-RqX0AJywSknJAM4di-f_lguaNlPCvaDHvy7Scw&dib_tag=AUTHOR
What this episode covers
In this chilling episode, I sit down with psychologist-author Cynthia Herbert-Bruschi Adams to navigate the harrowing story behind First He Killed the MinutemanWe trace Peter Manfredonia’s 2020 rampage — from a brutal samurai sword attack in a quiet Connecticut neighborhood, to a terrifying home invasion in which a man was held hostage in his own basement, to the murder of a childhood friend and the kidnapping of his girlfriend as he dragged her across state lines. Newly released 911 calls, body cam footage, and police interviews shed haunting light on the moments of confusion, fear, and desperation that followed each twist in the chase. Manfredonia, a former UConn student, later admitted to being in a manic, suicidal state — scribbling cryptic messages on his walls that investigators say he couldn’t fully recall. Throughout our conversation, Cynthia reveals never-before-heard reflections from her correspondence with Manfredonia, the emotional toll of weaving this dark narrative, and her belief that there were warning signs — red flags that might have altered this deadly path. If you’re drawn to true crime that probes beyond the headlines unearthing motive, mental health, entropy, and the human cost — subscribe now, share this episode, and pick up this book 📖 at https://us.amazon.com/First-Killed-Minuteman-Cynthia-Herbert-Bruschi/dp/1835431992?ref_=ast_author_dp&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.qY85ftD_EbcLMgerk-YtVajxp1y4fSSWSVscH-WvGzo8s4s1tj6eoF_iDiCEjzyCWNx6neANziWSD74A4pmqhA.hZ8z-RqX0AJywSknJAM4di-f_lguaNlPCvaDHvy7Scw&dib_tag=AUTHOR
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A Murder In A Small Town With Cynthia Herbert Bruschi Adams
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