Infamous South Windsor Incident to Air in Segment on A&E

The A&E Network television show “Panic 9-1-1” will air a segment Dec. 13 on the infamous Richard Shenkman South Windsor hostage story.

Shenkman, a former public relations executive, was found guilty in 2011 on numerous charges after he kidnapped his ex-wife, Nancy Tyler, held her at gunpoint in her South Windsor residence, and then set the house ablaze, according to the Hartford Courant.

At trial, Shenkman asserted unsuccessfully that he was insane at the time of the incident, which took place in July 2009, according to the Courant.

During the incident, Shenkman made a number of calls to 9-1-1 and The Day newspaper in New London in which he asked for, among other things, a priest to administer last rites as well as a marriage license so that the priest could re-marry Shenkman and his ex-wife.

Shenkman was sentenced in January of this year to 70 years in prison, according to the Courant.

Here is the description of the Panic 911 segment, from the episode “I Plan on Leaving Here in a Body Bag,” on the A&E website:

"In an upscale suburb of Connecticut, a bitter divorce battle drives Richard Shenkman to kidnap his ex-wife and make numerous taunting and threatening calls to 9-1-1 as he holds her hostage in their former home."                      

"Panic 9-1-1" is scheduled to air on A&E at 10 p.m. EST this Thursday.