One Year Later, I-84 Shooting Case Still Under Investigation

By Andrew Gorosko

Just one year after he was killed, state police are continuing their investigation into the violent death of Mark Rebong, 28, the Newtown man who was shot once in the head on Interstate 84 in Danbury while on his way to work at Danbury Hilton and Towers one year ago.

Lieutenant Eric Smith, commanding officer of the state police’s Western District Major Crime Squad in Litchfield, said Wednesday, “We’re following up leads. The case is active.”

“It’s frustrating to us,” the lieutenant said, noting that state police investigators want to find the person or people responsible for Mr Rebong’s violent death. State police have spent much time investigating the puzzling case.

Mr Rebong was driving along Exit 2A/B of westbound I-84 about 11 pm on January 17, 2000, near the Hilton, when he was shot. State police responded to the scene after receiving a report of a motor vehicle accident from a passerby, who saw Mr Rebong’s Jeep Cherokee against a fence of a commuter parking lot, where it had rolled after he was shot. Mr Rebong died the following night in Danbury Hospital.  

A reconstruction of the shooting incident conducted last April by state police forensics scientist Dr Henry Lee has proved helpful to detectives in investigating the crime, Lt Smith said.

State police think Mr Rebong’s death may have involved one of several possible causes – an accidental shooting, a random act of violence, a case of mistaken identity, or road rage. They have ruled out robbery as a motive.

Lt Smith declined to disclose specific information which state police have uncovered in their investigation of the shooting, saying that to do so would compromise their case.

“We’d like to bring some closure to the family,” Lt Smith said of the police’s desire to explain to Mr Rebong’s survivors what happened one year ago on I-84.

Mr Rebong was the son of Dr Efren Rebong, a psychiatrist at Danbury Hospital.

A $100,000 reward from public and private sources has been posted for information leading to a conviction of the person who killed Mr Rebong.

State police are seeking people who witnessed activity on the highway that may be helpful to them in investigating the Rebong case. Although a piece of information may seem unimportant to a passerby, it may prove very useful in a police investigation, Lt Smith said.

Connecticut callers may reach state police who are investigating the case at 800/376-1554. People in New York State may reach the Connecticut State Police at 203/267-2200.