A MAN was sentenced to 50 years in prison for beating a ‘saint-like’ nurse to death during one of her visits.
Michael Carlos Reese, 40, was found guilty of murdering a visiting nurse who was found by her family thanks to her phone’s GPS.
According to a press release by the Connecticut State Attorney’s office, Reese killed nurse Joyce Grayson, 63, during her visit to a halfway house for sexual offenders.
The offender was under probation due to his “violent tendencies,” which resulted in his placement in a halfway house designed for criminals transitioning back into society.
Grayson was a longtime visiting nurse of the halfway house and went for a standard check-in on October 28, 2023.
However, during the checkup, Reese strangled her and inflicted several blunt-force injuries to the head and body.
The nurse’s body was located in the basement of the residence after her family became concerned when she failed to attend several appointments. Her intended eight-minute visit had inexplicably extended to four hours.
Investigators found her body by tracking the GPS on her phone as it continued to ping at the halfway house’s address.
Officers later noticed that Reese had attempted to tamper with the GPS.
Reese had also taken the nurse’s car and moved it to a different location after withdrawing money from her bank account.
“This is an extremely concerning case on multiple levels and among the most severe I have encountered in my 27 years of law enforcement,” Willimantic police Chief Paul M. Hussey remarked in a statement on Facebook.
“Our condolences go out to the family of the victim.”
A ‘SAINT’ OF A WOMAN
Grayson had worked as a nurse for decades, and even fostered 35 children over the years.
Her years of fostering earned her the title of 2017’s “Foster Parent of the Year.”
“What the family wants the world to know is that Joyce was a saint,” attorney Kelly Reardon said.
“The family wants the community to remember Joyce and her name and not the defendant.”
During the hearing, Grayson’s daughter stated that her mother had taught her to help people regardless of their circumstances.
Grayson’s other daughter noted that her mother died doing something she was passionate about.
“He deserves to sit in a cell away from his family and friends for the rest of his life,” she said.
Reese pleaded guilty to the murder on August 8, 2024.
“I want to commend both agencies on their diligent investigation into the death of Ms. Grayson,” State’s Attorney Fahey said.
“While no sentence can ever return a loved one to their family, some degree of justice was achieved today, largely thanks to the diligent efforts and hard work of the Willimantic Police Department and the Connecticut State Police Eastern District Major Crime Squad.”
