Vandals who defaced Sandy Hook mural in Southington arrested, police say

© By Jessica Moore | jesmoore@courant.com/Hartford Courant/TNS This is the Southington mural created in memory of the 26 victims of the Sandy Hook shootings. Two people who painted over the butterflies were arrested this week, police say.

Two people who police said defaced a Southington mural painted in memory of the 26 children and educators who died in the Sandy Hook massacre have been arrested.

Lorenzo Cavallo, 20, of Hemingway Street in Plainville and Gina Lombardi, 21, of Morningside Drive in Bristol turned themselves in Tuesday on charges of first-degree criminal mischief and conspiracy to commit first-degree criminal mischief, police said Thursday.

The two painted over butterflies on the mural that represented the victims, police said. A number of artists worked on the colorful mural, which was painted on the back of a detached garage overlooking a hiking trail at 245 Summer St.

The owner of the building told police it cost $2,500 to repair the mural. In addition, graffiti on the side of the building cost another few hundred dollars, police said.

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Christine Dempsey may be reached at cdempsey@courant.com.