Killingly, CT — More than two years after a December 2023 incident, a now 43-year-old Milford, MA man who fled from troopers at a Dayville gas station and was shot in the chest after drawing a pistol has been extradited to Connecticut and charged. The Trooper and bystander involved in the initial apprehension of the man were later awarded a Connecticut State Police Medal of Honor and a Commissioner’s Recognition Award, respectively.
According to an arrest warrant provided by the Connecticut State Police, at approximately 7:30 PM on December 28, 2023, the Foster, RI Police Department was dispatched to JP’s General Store to investigate an armed robbery. Based on surveillance footage obtained during the on-scene investigation, a Be On the Look Out (BOLO) was issued to surrounding law enforcement agencies, including the Connecticut State Police Troop D, for an approximately 40-year-old white male, 6 feet 2 inches tall, with a ragged beard and hand tattoos on both hands. During the robbery, the suspect could be seen lifting the front of his sweatshirt and grasping the handle of a pistol. The suspect fled the area in a large four-door light-colored sedan with a light-colored soft top cover.
At approximately 9:15 PM, Trooper Godbout, CSP Troop D, contacted Foster Police to notify them he was familiar with a man, Mark R. Heath Jr. of 1210 Hartford Pike (later arrested by US Marshals and charged in relation to the robbery), who matched the description and drove a Mercury Grand Marquis matching the description of the suspect vehicle. The vehicle was located at the Hartford Pike address, and a search and seizure warrant was submitted for the vehicle. The warrant was signed on December 29, 2023.
At approximately 1:16 PM on December 30, 2023, Trooper Godbout spotted the vehicle pulled up to a gas pump at the Chucky’s Mobile gas station, 599 Hartford Pike. According to a detective’s findings after reviewing Trooper Godbout’s body-worn camera, vehicle-equipped mobile video recorder, and listening to radio transmissions, it was determined that at approximately 1:15 PM a green Mercury Grand Marquis with a tan soft top was spotted traveling westbound on Hartford Pike before entering the Chucky’s parking lot and pulling up to Pump #5. A man, later identified as then 41-year-old Ruben Muller, can be seen sitting in the driver’s seat with a female passenger next to him. Muller is seen exiting the driver’s side door, leaning back into the driver’s seat, where he moved his hands around the driver’s compartment before looking around. Muller then stood up, looked towards the mobile station entrance, and leaned back into the driver’s compartment, at which point Trooper Godbout pulled behind the vehicle with his emergency lights activated. Muller began to walk toward the mobile station entrance, away from the cruiser, which had just parked behind his vehicle.
At approximately 1:17 PM, Trooper Godbout can be heard issuing verbal commands for Muller to come back to him and talk. After several commands, Muller began to walk back, touching the waistband of his jeans with both hands during the walk. Muller was instructed to put his hands on the front of the car, at which time a lighter was visible in his right hand. When asked, he stated he did not have a license on him. He was then instructed to put his hands behind his back and that he was being detained. As Trooper Godbout attempted to secure Muller’s left forearm, Muller twisted his body aggressively and turned towards the trooper until he broke the trooper’s grip on his arm.
Muller then ran across the parking lot towards Taco Bell with Trooper Godbout in foot pursuit behind him with his Taser drawn. The first attempt at tasing the fleeing suspect failed, but Muller immediately ran into a vehicle that was in the drive-through line of Taco Bell, causing him to fall. He returned to his feet and continued running towards the parking lot exit. A second Taser deployment was attempted, this one proving successful and triggering Neuromuscular Incapacitation (NMI), causing Muller to fall to the ground. The fall disrupted the Taser connection, allowing Muller to roll onto his side after only one second. While on his side, Muller reached down and touched his right thigh before getting back to his feet and continuing to run, disregarding commands to stop as Trooper Godbout reached for Muller’s hand but was pushed away. Muller then attempted to grab the Taser wires with his left hand to remove the prongs.
As Muller approached the parking lot exit, heading toward the rear of Petco, an F-150 operated by a civilian, Salvatore Bombara, was crossing the intersection toward the Taco Bell parking lot. The F-150 struck Muller, causing him to fall with his back to the front grille of the pickup truck. Muller then reached with both hands to the bottom of his jeans, where there was a visible bulge as Trooper Godbout commanded and attempted to force him to get face down on the ground. Muller began to pull a silver Ruger SP101 revolver. As this happened, Trooper Godbout yelled “no” and unholstered his duty weapon. When Muller attempted to shift the pistol from his left hand into his right to obtain a grip capable of firing, Trooper Godbout discharged one round into Muller’s upper chest, at which point he dropped the revolver and rolled to his left side.
Medical aid was immediately rendered by responding Killingly Police Officers and continued by Dayville Fire Company and KB Ambulance. Muller was transported to an area hospital.
The revolver was seized, and upon being run through the ATF database, it was discovered that the firearm had been sold on March 22, 2011, by an outdoors store in Smyrna, Georgia, to a party other than Muller. It is unclear how it entered Muller’s possession. A search of the Mercury Grand Marquis, conducted on February 2, 2024, following the signing of a search and seizure warrant, resulted in a handwritten bill of sale and an insurance card belonging to a party other than Muller (based on warrant redactions, it is unclear if this was the female party or another individual). A bayonet-style knife was also recovered from the floor of the vehicle.
Troopers also ran the plate and VIN of the vehicle Muller was operating, and it was learned the plate had been last registered to a Toyota Tacoma out of Putnam, and the Mercury Grand Marquis was last registered in Gloucester, MA. The warrant did not specify if Muller was the owner of either the plate or the car.
On January 13, 2026, now 43-year-old Ruben Muller was taken into custody at Clinton District Court, Clinton, MA, and transported to Troop D for processing. He is currently held on a $200,000 bond for the following charges:
- Interfering with an Officer (C.G.S 53a-167a)
- Criminal Attempt / Assault 1st Degree (C.G.S 53a-49/53a-59)
- Reckless Endangerment 1st Degree (C.G.S 53a-63)
- Criminal Possession of a Firearm (C.G.S 53a-217)
- Possession of Weapons in Vehicles (C.G.S 29-38)
- Operating an Unregistered Motor Vehicle (C.G.S 14-12(a)*)
- Improper Use of Marker, Registration, or License (C.G.S 14-147(c))
On November 12, 2024, Trooper Joseph Godbout and civilian Salvatore Bombara were honored by the Connecticut State Police with the following citations:
Medal of Honor – TROOPER JOSEPH GODBOUT
Commissioner’s Recognition – SALVATORE BOMBARA
On December 30, 2023, Trooper Godbout was conducting surveillance in Killingly, attempting to locate an armed robbery suspect from a neighboring Rhode Island town.
Trooper Godbout located the suspect’s vehicle and followed it into a gas station parking lot on Route 101. He made contact with the male vehicle operator and attempted to detain him.The male suspect fled on foot and Trooper Godbout immediately gave chase. He attempted two Taser deployments, which were unsuccessful. A civilian witness, Salvatore Bombara, intentionally used his vehicle to strike the fleeing suspect, an action which aided the Trooper.
Trooper Godbout attempted to gain control of the suspect on the ground when the suspect pulled a loaded .357 magnum revolver on the Trooper. Trooper Godbout quickly transitioned from his Taser to his duty pistol and fired one round, striking the suspect in the chest. Trooper Godbout successfully stopped the threat and the suspect was disarmed.
Trooper Godbout acted with gallantry and bravery in a life-threatening situation and undoubtedly saved countless lives in a crowded area on a busy holiday weekend. His actions went above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in combat with an armed and dangerous person.
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