The image of Rick Dabate being wheeled out of his Ellington home on a stretcher, zip-tied to a folding chair, is burned into the memory of true crime fans. He looked like a victim. He told police a "tall, obese man" in camouflage had broken in, tortured him, and executed his wife, Connie. It was a terrifying story. But while the world was obsessing over the "Fitbit data" that eventually proved Connie was walking around long after Rick said she was dead, a woman named Sarah Ganzer was living a much more quiet, complicated reality.
Most people just call her "the mistress." That’s a flat, one-dimensional label for someone who was effectively the catalyst for one of the most bizarre murder investigations in Connecticut history. Honestly, if you look at the timeline, Sarah Ganzer wasn't just a side character; she was the reason Rick Dabate’s double life finally imploded.
The "Surrogacy" Lie and the Pregnancy
By the time Connie Dabate was murdered in December 2015, Rick and Sarah Ganzer had been having an affair for years. This wasn't a casual fling. They were former high school classmates who had reconnected. But here’s where it gets truly wild: Rick had Sarah convinced he was leaving Connie. He told her he had already packed half his bags. He told her the divorce was happening.
None of it was true.
When Sarah got pregnant in 2015, Rick’s carefully constructed house of cards started shaking. He couldn't hide a baby. So, he did what any cornered person with a penchant for fiction would do—he told an even bigger lie. He told Connie (and later the police) that Sarah Ganzer was actually a surrogate. He claimed they were using artificial insemination because he and Connie were having fertility issues. He actually tried to frame the pregnancy as a "gift" to the family.
It’s hard to wrap your head around that level of audacity. Imagine telling your wife that your mistress’s pregnancy is actually a "surrogacy" gone wrong through "untraditional" methods. It’s some of the most manipulative behavior documented in a modern criminal case.
Why Sarah Ganzer Mattered at Trial
During the trial, Sarah Ganzer’s testimony was pivotal. She didn't come across as a villain; she came across as someone who had been profoundly played. She testified about the texts and the promises. She confirmed that Rick had told her he was moving out.
For the prosecution, Sarah was the "motive." Rick was a man who hated confrontation. He didn't want to be the "bad guy" who asked for a divorce, especially with a baby on the way with another woman. In his mind, it seems, it was easier to stage a home invasion and become a tragic widower than to admit he’d been cheating for years.
The 2025 Supreme Court Ruling and Where Things Stand Now
If you’ve been following the updates as of early 2026, you know the legal battle didn't end with the 2022 conviction. Rick Dabate appealed, citing "prosecutorial impropriety." The Connecticut Supreme Court actually just released a major decision on March 11, 2025.
The court admitted that the prosecutor made some mistakes. They asked Rick if he planned to kill Connie during a trip to Vermont without having a solid basis for that specific question. They used some aggressive language. But—and this is the big one—the court ruled that these mistakes didn't change the outcome of the trial. The Fitbit data, the K9 units that found no scent of an intruder, and the testimony regarding Sarah Ganzer were simply too overwhelming.
Rick Dabate remains in prison, serving a 65-year sentence. ## What Happened to Sarah Ganzer?
Sarah has largely disappeared from the public eye, which is understandable. She’s raising a child who will eventually have to learn that their father is a convicted murderer. The "other woman" in these cases often faces a specific type of social vitriol, but the trial records paint a picture of a woman who was just as deceived as Connie was, albeit in a different way.
She wasn't a co-conspirator. She was a witness.
Real Talk: Actionable Takeaways from the Dabate Case
If we're looking for "lessons" in the wreckage of the Dabate/Ganzer saga, they aren't just about the dangers of affairs. They're about the "digital footprints" we leave behind.
- Metadata doesn't lie: Connie’s Fitbit recorded her moving 1,217 feet after the time Rick said she was killed. Your devices are always testifying.
- Verify the "Divorce" claims: In the true crime world, the "I'm leaving my wife" line is a classic red flag. If there are no court filings, there is no divorce.
- The "Path of Least Resistance" is a trap: Rick Dabate killed his wife because he was too cowardly to have a difficult conversation about his infidelity.
The case is effectively closed now that the 2025 appeal has been settled. The 65-year sentence stands. For Sarah Ganzer, the end of the legal drama likely means a chance to finally move her life—and her child's life—out of the shadow of a "masked intruder" who never actually existed.
To keep up with any further post-conviction motions or the inevitable true crime documentaries that will surface in late 2026, you can monitor the Connecticut Judicial Branch's case look-up using Rick Dabate’s name or case number.