BRIDGEPORT — James McGrath’s family is upset, even though they’ve gotten pretty good at hiding it.
“I might not appear angry, but I’m extremely angry,” Kevin McGrath, the father of the Shelton teen stabbed to death at a house party last month, said during a news conference Friday.
At the same time, the family called on the public to honor McGrath’s memory by letting the criminal justice process play out without further complication.
“Our community is mourning the loss of an amazing young man,” he said. “Our wounds are fresh, our emotions are raw. But we must not let our raw emotions divide our community.”
A 16-year-old Milford teen, Raul Eliah Valle, a student at St. Joseph High School in Trumbull, is facing murder and first-degree assault charges in McGrath’s stabbing death at the Shelton house party.
Kevin McGrath said the family has heard of a handful of minor conflicts connected with his son’s slaying.
McGrath didn’t offer specifics about the incidents, beyond offering yelling at someone at a restaurant as an example.
The family’s lawyer, Michael Rosnick, said afterward that not all details could be shared yet out of respect for the police investigation.
“There have been a few instances where there was an indication or discussion about causing harm generally,” Rosnick said. “Mr. McGrath wants no one to be harmed.”
“The family wants to deescalate the situation,” Rosnick said. “We want to lower the temperature in the community.”
While McGrath mentioned a Memorial Day brawl at Walnut Beach in Milford, where police have said several officers were hurt who were trying to break up a fight, he said he did not think the fight was connected with his son’s death or the fallout surrounding the case.
Milford, Shelton and other local police departments did not immediately respond Friday about whether they are investigating the incidents McGrath mentioned.
Standing behind a podium in a conference room at their attorney’s office, McGrath’s mother, Margaret, and sister, Rosie, stood stoically as Kevin described the awful moments just after midnight May 15 when he “received a call that every parent dreads.”
“Jimmy was stabbed and hurt,” McGrath said, recalling the phone call. “You need to come right away.”
McGrath described watching at the scene on a property on Laurel Glen Drive as first responders and others tried to save his 17-year-old son’s life.
“After a valiant effort, Jimmy succumbed to his injuries,” McGrath said.
The news conference marked Margaret and Kevin McGrath’s first public comments since they appeared at a lacrosse game between Fairfield Prep, where their son went to school, and Shelton High School last month.
While the loss of his son, who played football and lacrosse at Fairfield Prep, is “unbearable,” McGrath said, the outpouring of support and compassion from the community has been “nothing short of a miracle.”
“Our strength is derived from the support of our community has provided,” McGrath said. “And the belief that although Jimmy has physically left this earth, his presence in our lives is stronger than ever. We are overwhelmed by the amount of people whose hearts have been touched by Jimmy.”
Jimmy’s sister, Rosie, said her brother was her best friend and “will forever live on with us.”
“The one thing that will impact me for the rest of my life is his passion and his drive,” she said. “Even though he was my younger brother, I often looked at him as an inspiration.”
“I know he’ll look after me and I’m just happy I had the time I had with him,” Rosie McGrath said. “We did everything together. I want justice for him and I’m just overwhelmed and thankful for my friends and family and the community supporting us.”
While Valle is a student at St. Joseph High School in Trumbull, Kevin McGrath said Valle and other suspects “do not represent the St. Joseph community.” He said his son had many friends and teammates on youth sports teams who went to the school, and that two of his pall bearers were the fathers of lacrosse players there.
“It’s over,” McGrath said. “This situation wasn’t a rivalry. It was an unfortunate tragedy. Let’s just move on from there.”
Kevin McGrath quoted the words of Fairfield Prep’s Rev. Brian Konzman at his son’s funeral. The priest said that though anger could be righteous, it is also dangerous because it “so easily devolves into hate.”
“Our family calls for a time of peace and deescalation,” McGrath said. “Raul Valle and his accomplices will be held accountable through the criminal court system.”
McGrath said his son was talented and well spoken, able to hold a conversation with anyone. He said others’ memories of James McGrath have been a source of strength, noting his impact on others.
The family declined to comment on the case beyond offering praise to law enforcement, including Shelton police and the Milford State’s Attorney’s Office, and calling on the public not to complicate investigators’ efforts.
“Do not take matters into your own hands and distract them from their task at hand,” McGrath said. “Any violence resulting from this matter would be a dishonor to Jimmy. He would not want anyone else to be harmed as a result of what happened to him.”
The family said they don’t yet know more about the events leading up to the fatal stabbing. They said they plan to meet with police again next week.
They also declined to say whether they would be taking legal action connected with McGrath’s death.
“At this point, we just want the truth,” Kevin McGrath said. “The primary goal is for the people that are responsible to be held accountable.”
No other arrests have been announced in connection with the incident, which allegedly followed a fight at another house party attended by Valle, but the investigation is ongoing.
Valle was released from custody last week on $2 million bond.
Kevin McGrath was in court for the hearing and described it Friday as “surreal,” even though prosecutors had prepped him for the brief appearance.
“I tried to make eye contact,” McGrath said. “He wouldn’t. So we move on.”
He said he would be in court for future hearings as the case went on.
“I have my feelings, but most important is convictions,” McGrath said.
It’s unclear whether there will be additional charges, either against Valle or anyone else. There was at least one other teen described by witnesses as initiating the fight at the house party where McGrath was stabbed, according to Valle’s arrest warrant.
It is also unclear if any other suspects will be identified even if they are arrested. Valle’s murder charge resulted in the 16-year-old’s case being transferred to adult court, but lesser charges could mean any other suspects remain in juvenile court, where minors’ identities are not released.
“This is every parent’s worst nightmare, the loss of a child,” Rosnick said. “There are many unanswered questions that are being thoroughly investigated by the Shelton police.”
Prior to a May 20 funeral mass for McGrath, dozens of his teammates on the Prep lacrosse and football teams linked arms as the hearse carrying McGrath entered the church.
Kevin McGrath said the Prep community has been “extremely supportive” and attending lacrosse games has been therapeutic.
“We’re going to let this situation define us, but we’re not going to let it break us,” Kevin McGrath said.
The family was working on a way to honor McGrath’s legacy going forward, his father said, offering prayers to the families of others who have recently died tragically.
“Jimmy touched the lives of so many people,” he said. “He was a gift. He was a gift to all of us.”
