Stamford Police have released the photographs above of surveillance video from the Jewish Community Center on Newfield Avenue in Stamford. The person pictured is believed to have both entered and left the center with Marco Paoletta, Jr, 51, just prior to his shooting death around 6:35 PM, January 3rd, 2008.

From the Stamford Police Department Press Release:

“The male in the photos is described as follows: Olive skinned Hispanic male in his early 20’s, approximately 5’6” – 5’8” tall, very thin build, with long straight black hair pulled back into a pony tail. He also had long, lamb-chop type sideburns. The male in the photo is dressed in dark colored pants, a black leather three-quarter length jacket, and a black baseball cap.”

Detectives are asking for the public’s help to identify this individual. Anyone with information is asked to call the Bureau of Criminal Investigations at (203) 977-4417 or the Stamford Police Tip Line at (203) 977-5111.

Left: Unidentified man (left) is seen at the community center with victim Paoletta (right)

Paoletta, of 10 Tuttle St., was known to his friends as “Chickie”. He was a Stamford native with an Associates Degree from Albertus Magnus College in New Haven and worked in the credit division of a bank in Bridgeport. Paoletta was an avid racquetball player, winning YMCA tournaments as a child, and played at the center regularly.

Stamford Police claim to have been familiar with Paoletta although he had no criminal record.

He was found a short distance from the center on Vine Rd. with a single gunshot wound minutes after leaving. Police have ruled out suicide and believe the killer targeted his victim specifically and knew he would be playing racquetball at the community center that evening.

Paoletta was found lying on the ground not far from the Turn Of The River school. He was bleeding from a nondescript head wound above the eyes which the state’s chief medical examiner would later confirm was a gunshot wound. Police have not stated whether a bullet was recovered. He was alive when emergency workers arrived but was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Stamford Hospital.

Four hours after the incident, Paoletta’s car, a 1997 black Dodge Neon, was found set ablaze and exploded on Christy Street in Norwalk. The call came into the Norwalk Fire Department at 11:15 PM. A gas can was found alongside the vehicle and Norwalk Fire Marshal Glenn Iannoccone was called in to conduct an investigation. The cause of the blaze was confirmed to be arson.