A Connecticut woman and former GOP official has been sentenced to decades in prison after fatally shooting her tenant during a long and bitter landlord-tenant dispute.
Conviction and Sentencing
Ellen Wink, 64, was convicted in June of murder and criminal lockout for the January 2022 killing of 54-year-old tenant Kurt Lametta. On Tuesday, Superior Court Judge John F. Blawie sentenced her to 50 years in prison.
Prosecutors had pushed for a harsh penalty, while Wink had previously turned down a plea deal that would have given her 40 years behind bars. The maximum she faced was 60 years.
The Shooting
On January 20, 2022, Wink entered Lametta’s Nelson Avenue rental in Norwalk to remove items from the refrigerator as part of her plans to clean and sell the property. Lametta objected and secretly began recording on his cellphone.
The video captured their final confrontation. After Lametta questioned her actions, two gunshots rang out. Wink could be heard yelling insults at him before firing three more shots. She then shouted at her victim to “get out,” even as he collapsed to the floor, recording his own killing.
This cellphone footage was later described as the most powerful piece of evidence in the trial, showing jurors exactly how the shooting unfolded.
Wink’s Defense
From the start, Wink admitted to pulling the trigger but claimed she acted in self-defense after Lametta allegedly lunged at her. She also argued she was under “extreme emotional disturbance.”
Jurors rejected both claims, siding with prosecutors who said the shooting was intentional and premeditated.
History of Disputes
Court testimony revealed that the landlord-tenant relationship between Wink and Lametta had been strained for months:
August 2021: Wink tried to remove Lametta after a dispute with another tenant.
September 2021: She was arrested for locking him out and throwing away his belongings.
November 2021: She shut off his heat and electricity.
January 2022: Wink conducted multiple online searches about firearms, hollow-point bullets, and “the most deadly bullets on the planet.”
These details painted a picture of growing hostility that culminated in the fatal confrontation.
Political Fallout
At the time of her arrest, Wink served as the Republican deputy registrar in Norwalk. She was fired immediately after being charged.
The case of Ellen Wink highlights how a simmering housing dispute turned into a deadly act of violence caught on video. Despite her claims of self-defense, jurors were swayed by clear evidence of intent. Now, Wink faces the next 50 years in prison, while Lametta’s family is left to grieve a life cut short in a shocking landlord-tenant clash.
