1971 Cold Case: Robbery/Murder in East Norwalk

NORWALK, CT - Late at night on March 12, 1971, Earl Collins, 50, was shot in the chest during a robbery at the Mobil gas station on the corner of East Avenue and Winfield Street. He clung to life for four days and before dying, and 45 years later Norwalk police are asking for the public's help in solving this cold case.

Through the years, there have been suspects in the killing, including one man who was brought to trial on first-degree murder and robbery charges, but that case was nolled, according to police.

Below is the description of the crime, which occurred just before 10:30 p.m., from Norwalk police:

The Norwalk Police received a report of a man shot at the Mobil Gas Station (Ludlow Service Center) at the corner of Winfield Street. Police arrived and located Collins on the ground by the front doorway suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. One 17 year old witness had just stepped into the gas station to get change for cigarettes when a black male fired a gun and Collins fell to the ground. The black male shooter then turned to the 17 year old, took the money from his hand and put the gun against the stomach and pulled the trigger. The gun did not fire. The black male shooter and a second black male fled on foot north onto East Avenue. Earl Collins was hospitalized and died four days later on March 16th.

Several teenage witnesses had just left a dance at the Christ Episcopal Church on Gregory Boulevard and were walking on East Avenue crossing Winfield Street. As they walked past the Service Station, they could see a handgun and that a robbery was taking place. When they heard a gunshot they ran north to the other side of the train tracks and one friend went back to see what happened. The group reported that 2 black males and possible a light skinned black male or a Puerto Rican male came running past them and entered a car parked at 215 East Avenue (Norwalk Gas Company) which was between the East Norwalk train station and O’Hara’s gas station at the corner of Fitch St. The car took off northbound on East Avenue at a high rate of speed.

The 17 year old witness in the station described the suspects as:

Suspect Shooter – 19-20 year old Black male, 6’ tall, thin build, short afro style hair, a goatee and wearing green work pants with a dark green waist length work jacket.

Suspect at Doorway – 19-20 year old Black male, 6’1” tall with a stocky build around 200 pounds, with a short afro style hair.

The group of teenage witnesses reported 3 males running past them after the shooting and getting into a car together and described the following:

Suspect – Black male, under 20 years old, husky build wearing a black leather coat with a large afro style hair.

Suspect – Black male, 6’1” tall with thin build wearing a short dungaree jacket.

Suspect – Puerto Rican male, 5’10” tall wearing light colored clothing. Possibly white turtle neck and brown leather jacket.

Vehicle Description:

Dark Green ( possibly a Chevelle or Malibu) with orange license plate – possibly New York

A 20-year-old man, named James Wrentz Jr., was identified as a suspect because he was seen standing at the doorway during the robbery and he then ran off with the shooter. He was arrested on a warrant on March 17, 1971, and charged with Murder 1st Degree and Robbery with Violence, but on October 7 of that year the charges against him were nolled, meaning prosecutors decided not to proceed with the case and he was released.

"The case remains unsolved at this time," said Norwalk Police Lt. Art Weisgerber in a statement. "A variety of suspect names have been developed during the investigation but probable cause has not been established to make any arrests."

Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact Weisgerber at 203-854-3028 or aweisgerber@norwalkct.org.

Photos: Artist rendering of the suspect; various pictures of the scene of the crime. Photo credit: Norwalk Police Department