Fiery end to Connecticut hostage drama

SOUTH WINDSOR, Conn. (WTNH) - A day long hostage drama involving a man and his estranged wife came to a fiery end after she was freed and their house was set on fire.

Richard Shenkman, 60, surrendered to police around 12:10 a.m. Wednesday, and hours later small fires and smoke still floated up from the remains of the Tumblebrook Drive home.

Shenkman remains hospitalized Wednesday morning and is listed in stable condition. Police say it appears he suffered smoke inhalation.

Shenkman shared contentious divorce proceedings with his estranged wife Nancy Tyler. He was supposed to sign papers to turn the house over to Tyler. Instead, Shenkman kidnapped Tyler at a Hartford parking lot Tuesday morning, took her to the home and held her hostage, police said.

Tyler, 57, escaped from the residence around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, but it took the good majority of the day before she was freed.

Shortly after Tyler was brought to safety, the house went up in flames. Shenkman was seen at the rear of the house firing several shots, possibly as a way to commit suicide.

"He keeps yelling 'shoot me, shoot me,'" police said. "Police did not fire any shots throughout this ordeal."

Shenkman claimed he had a "safe room" or a fortified space in the basement which allowed him to stay within the burning structure, but eventually the fire forced him to surrender.

Shenkman requested several things from authorities throughout the ordeal, including a priest to read Tyler her last rites.

"Negotiators [had been] speaking all day long with the people that are inside the house," said South Windsor Police Commander Matthew Reed. "I'm not privy to all the conversation. I can't imagine what the mood was like inside the house."

After her release Tyler was taken to an ambulance to receive fluids, but was reported to be in okay condition.

Shenkman was taken to the hospital with undisclosed injuries. His condition was unavailable.

Authorities evacuated 12 homes and turned off the power to the neighborhood.

The Hartford bomb squad was at the scene, but it's unclear if Shenkman had any explosives.

in 2007, Shenkman was accused of burning down a vacation home in East Lyme hours before he was to hand it over Tyler.