Unsolved Murder In New Canaan Area Featured On New Cold Case Playing Cards

NEW CANAAN, Conn. -- A woman whose remains were found on the New Canaan/Norwalk town line more than 30 years ago has been included in a new edition of "cold case" playing cards that are available to inmates throughout the Connecticut correctional system.

Mary Aaron is one of the unsolved murder victims included in the new cold case playing cards distributed to inmates.
Photo Credit: *Contributed*

Casey Donahue

04/12/2017 3:00 a.m.

Mary Aaron aka Mary Frattallone is included as the "Queen of Hearts" in the fourth edition of the playing cards, which are produced by the Cold Case Unit in the Office of the Chief State's Attorney in conjunction with the Department of Correction. Aaron was last seen when she was 19 years old on July 2, 1981. Her skeletal remains were found on the New Canaan/Norwalk town line on Aug. 1, 1981.

Her cause of death is undetermined, according to state officials. Her husband, James “Purple” Aaron was questioned years ago, but to no avail. The two had been discussing divorce prior to her disappearance, and he was later convicted in 1985 in the disappearance of his then girlfriend, whose body has yet to be discovered.

Officials say that since the first deck of cold case cards was introduced six years ago, cold case investigators have received more than 675 tips, and that arrests or convictions have occurred in 20 of the cases featured on the previous three decks of cards, including several where tips came from inmates who saw the cards.

Each card in the deck of 52 features a photograph and brief details about an unsolved murder or missing persons case, as well as telephone, mail and email contacts that inmates can use to provide information. The cases featured on the cards are generally changed in subsequent decks to allow for the maximum umber of cards to be circulated through the correctional system.

A total of eight cold cases include murders from the Fairfield County towns of Bridgeport, Norwalk and Greenwich:

Four of Spades: Hakeem "Sonny" Joseph, a 32-year-old male. On March 25, 2015, Joseph was shot while working at the T-Market, 1482 Reservoir Ave. in Bridgeport.
Jack of Clubs: Karl "K-Dot" Savage, a 30-year-old male. On Feb. 3, 2010, Savage was found shot multiple times on the grounds of Nathaniel Ely School, near the rear of Roodner Court in Norwalk.
King of Clubs: Michael "Mizzy" Robinson, a 21-year-old male. On Oct. 29, 2010, Robinson was shot on South Main Street and Grove Street in Norwalk.
Two of Diamonds: Thounsa "Little T" Addison, a 17-year-old male. On Jan. 24, 2005, Addison was shot in a vehicle on Cross Street in Norwalk.
Three of Diamonds: Iroquois "Iraq" Alston, a 27-year-old male, and Rackita Smalls, a 22-year-old female. On Aug. 6, 2011, Alston and Smalls were shot in a vehicle at 4 Avenue B in Norwalk. A $50,000 reward is offered in this case.
Nine of Diamonds: Joseph "Jabs" Bateman, a 30-year-old male. On Feb. 3, 2012, Bateman was shot behind the Avalon Gates Apartments at 26 Belden Ave. in Norwalk.
Ten of Spades: Matthew Margolies, a 13-year-old male. On Aug. 31, 1984, Margolies was found murdered in a wooded area on Pemberwick Road in Greenwich. A $50,000 reward is offered in this case.

"The families of victims continue to suffer emotional stress when the homicide of a loved one remains unsolved. These cold case playing cards have proved to be an extremely successful strategy in helping to bring justice to the victims of crime," said Department of Correction Commissioner Scott Semple.

"The cold case playing cards have proven to be a valuable tool assisting our investigators with what are among the most challenging cases. Every tip that we get from someone who sees a card and remembers something is another step toward achieving justice to the victims of these crimes and their loved ones," said Chief State’s Attorney Kevin Kane.

The playing cards are the only ones sold to inmates in all facilities operated by the Department of Corrections. There is no cost to taxpayers, as their production is paid for with proceeds from the sale of the cards. Although they are not sold to the public, the new edition of cards can be seen here, and all four editions can be seen on the websites of the Department of Corrections and the Division of Criminal Justice.

The public is encouraged to view the cards and share any information they might have about any of the cases. Information may be submitted by phone at 1-866-623-8058, by email at cold.case@ct.gov or by regular mail at P.O. Box 962, Rocky Hill, CT 06067.

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