DA: Delco Cop Angry About Protection Order Kills Woman, Wounds Her Daughter

A Colwyn police officer angry about a protection-from-abuse order his ex-girlfriend took out against him resigned his position, then shot and killed the woman and wounded her daughter, authorities said.

Delaware County District Attorney Jack Whelan said Stephen Rozniakowski put on a bulletproof vest, kicked down the door to Valerie Morrow’s Glenolden home and shot her to death. He wounded her daughter, Bridget Cruz, in the arm. Morrow’s husband, Tom — a part-time police officer in Morton — returned fire and wounded Roziakowski.

“He said he just wanted to chat with her,” Roziakowski’s attorney, who said he attempted to diffuse the situation before the events Monday night, told the Daily News. Morrow dated her killer off and on for months, but reunited with her husband in August. She said threatening calls and emails escalated from then. He was previously convicted twice of harassment, in 2009 and 2010.

Roziakowski, a part-timer who was not on street duty, was previously accused of stalking Morrow earlier this year. He was charged with 75 counts of harassment, but his police chief treated it as if it were no big deal.

“Looking at the circumstances,” Colwyn Police Chief Bryan Hills told the Delaware County Daily Times in April. “I think a lot of this is bullshit.”

Hours before her death, Morrow actually called NBC 10’s Harry Hairston to set up an interview for Tuesday. Hairston had reported earlier this year on Roziakowski’s stalking charges. Hairston found a magazine loaded with bullets at the scene.

Hairston attempted to interview Hills, the police chief, but he drove away.

The DA said he’s likely to seek the death penalty.

[Daily News | NBC 10]