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Michael Gargiulo

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the serial killer. For another person, see Michael Gargiulo (journalist).

Michael Gargiulo
Mugshot (July 2008)
Born
Michael Thomas Gargiulo

(1976-02-15) February 15, 1976 (age 50)[1]
Glenview, Illinois, U.S.
Other namesHollywood Ripper
Chiller Killer
The Boy Next Door Killer
Convictions
Criminal charge
Felony murder
Penalty
Death
Details
Victims3; 1 survived
Span of crimes
1993–2008
CountryUnited States
States
Date apprehended
June 6, 2008

Michael Thomas Gargiulo (born February 15, 1976)[1] is a convicted American serial killer. He moved to Southern California in the 1990s and gained the nickname The Hollywood Ripper. He was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death on July 16, 2021. As of April 2023, he was incarcerated in the California Health Care Facility;[2] in September 2024, he was extradited to Cook County, Illinois, to face trial for the 1993 murder of Tricia Pacaccio.

Crimes

[edit]

Gargiulo is a native of the Chicago suburb of Glenview, Illinois. He is believed to have committed his first murder at the age of 17 on August 13, 1993, when he stabbed his neighbor, 18-year-old Tricia Pacaccio, who was the sister of his friend, to death on her back doorstep. Her father Rick found her body the following morning on the back porch.[3][4] Gargiulo moved to Los Angeles in 1998, allegedly to escape the scrutiny of the police in Illinois,[5] and committed two murders and an attempted murder in Southern California between 2001 and 2008.

On February 21, 2001, he murdered 22-year-old fashion student Ashley Ellerin, stabbing her 47 times in her home in Hollywood. Ellerin's injuries included a neck wound that nearly severed her head and deep punctures to the chest, stomach, and back. Some of her wounds were up to six inches deep.[6] According to detective Tom Small, one stab wound "actually penetrated the skull and took out a chunk of skull like a puzzle piece."[6] On the night she was murdered, Ellerin had planned a date including dinner and drinks with actor Ashton Kutcher, whom she had met at a New Year's Eve party, right after her affair with landlord Mark Durbin who was the last person to see Ellerin alive. When she did not answer the door, Kutcher, who had arrived late after watching the 2001 Grammy Awards at a friend's house, looked through the window, saw what he thought was spilled wine on the floor, and returned home, feeling dejected.[7]

On December 1, 2005, Gargiulo stabbed his neighbor, 32-year-old Maria Bruno, to death at her apartment complex in El Monte, California.[8] She was stabbed 17 times and her breasts were mutilated.[6]

Gargiulo attempted to murder another neighbor, 26-year-old Michelle Murphy, in her apartment in Santa Monica on April 28, 2008.[9] She fought off the attack which in turn caused Gargiulo to cut himself in the wrist. Blood matching Gargiulo's DNA was found at the scene.[10]

Arrest and prosecution

[edit]

Gargiulo was arrested by the Santa Monica Police Department on June 6, 2008. On July 7, 2011, the Cook County State's Attorney charged Gargiulo with the first-degree murder of Tricia Pacaccio.[11] Although Gargiulo was charged in the two California murders as well as the Pacaccio murder in Illinois, police did not link him to any other murders.[3] Gargiulo allegedly told authorities in the Los Angeles County Jail that just because ten women were killed—and his DNA was present—does not mean he murdered anyone, leading investigators to believe that there are more victims.[3]

Media in Los Angeles dubbed Gargiulo the "Hollywood Ripper" and the "Chiller Killer."[11][12] Gargiulo was held at Los Angeles County Jail while awaiting a capital murder trial.[13] A pre-trial hearing was held on June 9, 2017, in Los Angeles Superior Court, with his trial scheduled to begin in October 2017.[14] After delays, his trial began on May 2, 2019.[7][15] In May 2019, actor Ashton Kutcher testified about the crimes.[15][16]

On August 15, 2019, Gargiulo was convicted on all counts. The penalty phase of his California trial started on October 7, 2019. He faced either a death sentence or life in prison without the possibility of parole.[17][18][19][20] On October 18, 2019, a jury rendered a verdict of death for Michael Gargiulo after several hours of deliberation,[21] but sentencing for Gargiulo in California continued to be delayed by defense motions. On July 16, 2021, Gargiulo was sentenced to death.[22][23][24]

Gargiulo was extradited to Illinois on September 6, 2024, to face trial for the 1993 killing of Tricia Pacaccio. If convicted he faces a sentence of life without parole.[25]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "LASD Inmate Information Center - Inmate Search". lasd.org. Archived from the original on May 29, 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
  2. ^ "CDCR Public Inmate Locator Disclaimer". inmatelocator.cdcr.ca.gov. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c "LA detective: Suspect could have killed 10 women". Chicago Sun Times. Archived from the original on February 20, 2014.
  4. ^ Staff (July 7, 2011). "Man Charged with Murder in Cold Case Featured on "48 Hours Mystery". 48 Hours. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  5. ^ "Michael Gargiulo to Be Charged with Killing Tricia Pacaccio". Chicago. July 2011. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c Smith, Bryan. "Did Alleged "Hollywood Ripper" Michael Gargiulo Kill Tricia Pacaccio?". Chicago. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b "Man accused of murdering Ashton Kutcher's date goes on trial". CBS News. May 2, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
  8. ^ Richards, Tori (undated). "Michael Gargiulo: Alleged Hollywood Ripper – El Monte" archive. TruTv. Original retrieved August 3, 2012. Archive retrieved March 6, 2021.
  9. ^ Richards, Tori (undated). "Michael Gargiulo: Alleged Hollywood Ripper – ". TruTV. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  10. ^ "Santa Monica — Michael Gargiulo: Alleged Hollywood Ripper — Crime Library". Archived from the original on March 7, 2014. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b Pelisek, Christine (November 25, 2010). "The Chiller Killer – Michael Gargiulo, Accused of Killing Ashton Kutcher's Girlfriend and Other L.A. Beauties, Got Close as the Helpful Air-Conditioning Repairman". LA Weekly. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  12. ^ Staff (November 18, 2010). "Family Says 'Hollywood Ripper' Killed in Chicago Area First". CBS News (via WBBM-TV). Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  13. ^ Staff (undated). "Michael Gargiulo Under Arrest". CBS News. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  14. ^ "Serial Killer Who Allegedly Murdered Ashton Kutcher's Former Girlfriend Ashley Ellerin to Begin Trial". June 13, 2017.
  15. ^ Jump up to: a b "Ashton Kutcher appears in 'Hollywood Ripper' trial". BBC News. May 30, 2019.
  16. ^ Hutchinson, Bill (May 10, 2019). "What to know about the 'Hollywood Ripper' 'thrill killer' trial of Michael Gargiulo". ABC News. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  17. ^ ""Hollywood Ripper" trial: Michael Gargiulo found guilty of murder and attempted murder". CBS News. August 15, 2019. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  18. ^ "Jury finds Michael Gargiulo guilty in California serial killing case". Associated Press. August 15, 2019. Retrieved August 16, 2019 – via NBC News.
  19. ^ "'Hollywood Ripper' Michael Gargiulo found guilty of double murders". BBC News. August 15, 2019. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  20. ^ Lloyd, Jonathan (August 15, 2019). "Michael Gargiulo Convicted in Brutal 'Hollywood Ripper' Killings". KNBC. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  21. ^ Waldrop, Theresa; Moon, Sarah (October 18, 2019). "Los Angeles jury recommends death penalty for the 'Hollywood Ripper'". CNN. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  22. ^ CBSLA Staff (July 16, 2021). "'Hollywood Ripper' Michael Gargiulo Sentenced To Death". KCBS-TV. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  23. ^ KNBC Staff and wire reports (July 16, 2021). "'Hollywood Ripper' Sentenced to Death for Killing, Mutilating Women". KNBC. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  24. ^ Dalton, Andrew (July 16, 2021). "'Boy Next Door Killer' gets death for murders of 2 women". Associated Press. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  25. ^ "Convicted California Serial Killer Returned to Cook County to Face Charge for 1993 Murder" (Press release). Cook County Sheriff's Office. September 6, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024.

Further reading

[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_Gargiulo&oldid=1353527037"