Lawyer: Woman denies role in killings of Connecticut couple

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- A woman accused of conspiring with her boyfriend to kill his parents insists she had nothing to do with their slayings, her lawyer said Monday after her first court appearance.

Jennifer Valiante, 31, of Westport, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder and hindering prosecution in connection with the killings of Jeanette and Jeffrey Navin of Easton, who disappeared on Aug. 4.

A Bridgeport Superior Court judge on Monday kept her bail at $2 million and continued the case to Nov. 24.

Police said in an arrest warrant affidavit that Valiante was in on the plot with the Navins' son, 27-year-old Kyle Navin of Bridgeport.

"She has maintained that she has nothing to do with this," Valiante's lawyer, Elliot Warren, said after the hearing. "She was looking for Kyle's parents as soon as she realized they were missing and trying to help find them. We're sad, we're disappointed at the nature of the charges, but we're looking forward to being in court and establishing her innocence."

Kyle Navin is facing murder charges in the killings of his parents, whose remains were found Thursday outside a vacant house in Weston, which is next to Easton. Both towns are wealthy suburbs near Bridgeport.

Kyle Navin awaits arraignment, which has not been scheduled. He is detained on a federal weapon charge stemming from a search of his home after his parents vanished. His lawyer declined to comment.

Authorities say they found two firearms, ammunition and evidence he was using heroin, oxycodone and other controlled substances. He has pleaded not guilty.

Police said Kyle Navin and Valiante talked in text messages about killing his parents and getting their money.

Jeanette Navin had told a friend she was upset about her son's behavior and drug use, and his failure to pay the mortgage and taxes on the home they bought him, according to the arrest warrant for Valiante.

She also told her friend that she and her husband planned to sell their trash-hauling business and cut their son out of their will, the warrant says.

The month before his parents disappeared, Kyle Navin texted Valiante saying he had the "perfect plan" to get "$ for life," according to the warrant.

Navin wrote that the plan would "solve every single problem and give us a wealthy amazing life."

Navin and Valiante talked about what they would do with the money, police said.

Valiante texted, "That'll allow us to stay in our house and pay for a full top-line remodel and a new garage," according to the warrant.

Warren said the texts have been "taken out of context," and Valiante would deny talking with or texting to Kyle Navin about killing his parents and taking their money.