In 1967, when he was just 5 years old, Dylan McDermott’s mother, Diane McDermott, was murdered at the family’s home in Waterbury, Connecticut. The Republican-American reported that just before the murder took place, Dylan was taken outside by his mother’s boyfriend, John Sponza. When Sponza went back inside, Dylan heard a gunshot. He later watched medics carry his mother’s body away. Sponza told authorities that Diane had died by suicide.
For years, investigators were unable to find answers and the case went cold. In 2011, however, the investigation was reopened and authorities determined that the actor’s mother was murdered by Sponza. Dylan was ultimately at the root of the decision to reopen the case after contacting local police. Police Superintendent Michael Gugliotti told the Republican-American that Dylan’s celebrity status did not weigh into the department’s decision.
By the time Sponza was identified as the killer, however, he was dead. In 1972, his body was found in the trunk of a car, according to Patch. Sponza, whom the outlet described as an “alleged gangster,” is believed to have been killed by his fellow criminal cohorts.
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