Friend who gave Raul Valle knife before deadly stabbing testifies under immunity deal
Snyder, like Valle, was 16 on May 14, 2022—the night four Shelton teens were stabbed at a party on Laurel Glen Drive in Shelton.
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A single witness took the stand the sixth day of Raul “Lito” Valle’s trial—Valle’s friend who was with him that night and told the jury he gave Valle the knife used in the deadly fight right before the brawl broke out. Jack Snyder, now 19, testified at Milford Superior Court on Thursday in exchange for immunity in the case.
Snyder, like Valle, was 16 on May 14, 2022—the night four Shelton teens were stabbed at a party on Laurel Glen Drive in Shelton. One of them, 17-year-old Jimmy McGrath, a standout athlete at Fairfield Prep, didn’t survive. Valle, now 20, was charged as an adult. He’s on trial for murder and three counts of assault.
On Thursday, Snyder took the jury through the events that led to McGrath’s death, beginning with a party earlier that night on Lazy Brook Road in Shelton. Snyder said he, Valle and another St. Joseph High School classmate, Tyler Dasilva, got into it with two Shelton High teens.
“One of them was holding a case of beer, and we said he could stay if we took his beer or he gave us his beer, and he didn't want to give us his beer. So, the conversation started to get a little more aggressive,” Snyder stated, adding that he took the beer which led to brief fight. “After we squared up with each other, Lito came around and hit him in the back of the head, and then he lunged forward at me.”
After the fight broke up and both groups left the party, Snyder said he and his friends were added to a Shelton High School group chat of teens who were upset about the earlier confrontation and challenged the St. Joe’s kids to another fight. Snyder said he and his friends agreed and were texted an address on Laurel Glen Drive.
“I didn't know it was a party. I’m assuming that maybe the kid who was just in a scuffle with us maybe had a couple friends and wanted to settle it,” Snyder told the jury.
He said, when they arrived, about 30 teens came out of the house and surrounded the car.
“We didn't expect so many people there,” Snyder explained, adding that the group was screaming, cursing and damaging his SUV.
Snyder said for his own safety, he took his pocketknife out of the vehicle’s center console and put it on his lap, before speeding off.
Once down the street, Snyder recalled getting out and looking at the dents and cracks on his vehicle with Valle.
“Was he more upset than you?” Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Marc Durso asked.
“Maybe visibly. I was pretty upset,” Snyder answered. “He just said, ‘Where's the knife? Give me the knife!’ Somewhere along those lines.”
Snyder testified Valle and Dasilva wanted to go back to the house, so Snyder drove them but remained in the vehicle. He said he saw Valle get punched in the face and the brawl broke out.
On cross-examination, Valle’s attorney alleged it was the Shelton teens who were the aggressors and pointed out they far outnumbered Snyder’s two friends.
“You were scared for your friends at that point, were you not?” Kevin Smith questioned.
"I was,” Snyder said.
“Terrified about what was happening to them?” Smith continued.
"I was," Snyder responded.
“So much so that you didn't even get out of the car, did you?” Smith pushed.
"I wanted to be in there in case they got out, so we could get in my car and leave,” Snyder explained.
When they did return, Snyder told the jury both were bruised and bloody and Valle was holding the knife.
As Snyder described Valle’s demeanor, the defendant got emotional, with tears dripping down his face.
“He was just in shock, I think he said, ‘Oh my [expletive], God. I think I just stabbed somebody!' or 'I think I just stabbed people,' or something along those lines,” Snyder recalled.
“He didn't seem happy about what had happened, right? He seemed distraught?” Smith asked.
"Yeah. He looked in shock,” Snyder responded.
“Still scared?” continued Smith, who's suggested what happened that night was self defense.
“Yeah, probably,” Snyder answered.
Snyder also told the jury that shortly after, Valle threw the knife into the woods.
Snyder admitted he didn’t realize the severity of the stabbing that night and as he drove home with Dasilva, they talked about getting payback. Snyder also said he continued to engage in the Shelton High group chat.
“What did you text?” Durso asked.
“I said something along the lines of, 'Enjoy the hospital visit,’ or something,” Snyder said.
That remark led to an audible sob from McGrath’s mother in the gallery, who buried her face in her husband's shoulder.
Snyder went on to tell the jury he lawyered up immediately and didn’t share his story with police for six months, not until he had an agreement with the state that he wouldn’t be prosecuted in the case.
Smith zeroed in on that during his cross-examination.
“This prosecution agreement you have—it’s for complete immunity, right?” Smith said.
“For the events of that day,” Snyder clarified.
“You didn't want to tell anyone your involvement in this case until you got that in place, right?” Smith stated.
“Yeah,” Snyder agreed.
Smith pointed out Snyder could’ve been charged with accessory to murder and faced decades behind bars. Smith also alleged Snyder’s freedom is contingent on him telling the jury what the prosecution believes is the truth. Snyder countered that his testimony was truthful.
Durso made sure the jury knew that the immunity agreement wasn’t the state's idea.
“Your attorney approached us, right” Durso asked.
“Yes,” Snyder stated.
“Because you had information for us?” continued Durso.
“Yeah,” Snyder responded.
The trial continues Friday. There are now only three alternate jurors along with the 12 regular jurors after one woman was dismissed Thursday morning before testimony began. She told the court she realized she had a social relationship several years ago with a woman in the courtroom gallery who's related to Valle.
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