Former New Haven Chief Public Defender Thomas Ullmann

Thomas Ullmann, New Haven's former chief public defender, died Friday while hiking in New York's Adirondack Mountains, according to multiple sources.

He was a visiting clinical lecturer at Yale Law School and a member of the Connecticut Law Tribune's advisory board.

Joette Katz, the board's president, said in an emailed message to board members Saturday that she had spoken to Ullmann's wife Diana, who said the prominent attorney had fallen into a ravine while hiking.

Ullmann, 67, had been New Haven's chief public defender from 1992 until he retired in August. He notably represented Steven Hayes, one of two men convicted in 2007 in the Cheshire home invasion murders. Dr. William Petit, now a Republican state representative, was the lone survivor in the attack and robbery, which left his wife and two daughters dead.

Ullmann was also very active with the Tribune's advisory board, authoring numerous articles.

This is a developing story and will be updated.