Retired Teacher Allegedly Behind Harassing Letters

Police are alleging that retired New Canaan High School teacher Andrea Gravereaux, a longtime New Canaan resident now living in Norwalk, was the hand behind "dozens" of bizarre letters—some reportedly composed of nonsense cutouts from magazines and junk mail, others marked with lipstick kisses—sent primarily to households on Gower and Douglas roads. Gravereaux was charged Wednesday, June 2, with five counts of harassment in the 2nd degree for allegedly sending the letters to three families in that neighborhood, along with one to a resident of Davenport Ridge and another to the director of the YMCA.

Sgt. Pete Condos, who wrote up the arrest warrant, says though the first letter was postmarked in 2006, police only learned of the harassment when they were contacted about the letter to the YMCA on Dec. 10, 2008. According to Condos, that letter complained about the lack of a manger at the Christian-based organization during the holiday season and ended with a veiled threat.

During the ensuing investigation, the other letter recipients surfaced. All of them had been involved in disputes with Gravereaux's 37-year-old son, who still lives in New Canaan, over things like property lines and dog feces. The connection ultimately lead police to suspect the 66-year-old former teacher. A partial address label showing "eaux" on a piece of a magazine used in one of the letters, Condos said, supported the theory. One letter was postmarked from New Hampshire where the Gravereaux family reportedly has property.

Gravereaux turned herself in Wednesday afternoon. Condos said she, "freely admitted to being the letter writer." She posted $10,000 bond and is due in court June 14. Second degree harassment is a misdemeanor punishable by not more than one year in jail.