Michael Gargiulo: The serial killer next door?

Michael Gargiulo has spent more than four years in the Los Angeles County Jail awaiting trial.

During that time he has had several meetings with a "48 Hours Mystery" producer to consider the possibility of an on-camera interview, all of those meetings were recorded by the jail.

"My truth is being 100 percent innocent, being wrongfully charged," Gargiulo said on Feb. 12, 2009.

Gargiulo would not discuss any of the charges against him, but it's clear from these recordings given to "48 Hours Mystery" by authorities that he is convinced jail is the last place he belongs.

"Like, everything good about me and the fair person that I am, and everything, is-- is not even out there, and that's just wrong," he said on Nov. 16, 2010.

Video: Excerpts of Gargiulo's jail interview
Photos: The victims

"In 30 years of being in law enforcement have you ever dealt with someone like this?" Maureen Maher asks Det. Mark Lillienfeld.

"No. He's pretty remarkable," he replies. "I've met some sick puppies and some unique people and some brilliant people ... but I've never met anybody quite like Mike Gargiulo."

While the investigators in California are sure they've got their man, there is still one troubling question that concerns them greatly.

"Do you think there are other victims out there?" Maureen Maher asked.

"I think there's a very real chance," said Det. Tom Small.

"We've got evidence, some statements from Mr. Gargiulo and from other statements that indicate that... 10 might be the magic number," said Lillienfeld.

"We know that Michael Gargiulo traveled a little bit - between Illinois and California," Small explained. "We would certainly love to hear from investigators or other witnesses, people that have knowledge that maybe knew him or ran into him, at some point."

In the mean time, with Gargiulo finally behind bars, Los Angeles investigators will wait for justice to run its course.

Asked what he's hoping for, Det. Small said, "whole nine yards, whatever the jury finds appropriate."

"The whole nine yards in this state is the death penalty," Maher pointed out.

"Yes, ma'am."

But for the Pacaccios, that won't be nearly enough.

"If he's convicted of murder in California, even if he is sentenced to die, is that enough for you?" Maher asked Rick Pacaccio.

"No," he replied.

"I'm happy that the DNA off of my sister is helping these other families," Doug Pacaccio said. "But at the same time, it's not good enough for that to stop there. It's not fair to her. And this man needs to be held accountable for what he did."

Since this story first aired, there has been a remarkable development in the Tricia Pacaccio murder investigation.

While watching that episode of "48 Hours Mystery," a viewer -- who years earlier had worked with Michael Gargiulo at a Los Angeles nightclub -- remembered that Gargiulo had once bragged to him and others that he had killed a young woman in Chicago. "48 Hours Mystery" put that witness, along with another co-worker, in touch with Chicago authorities and shortly thereafter, a Cook County grand jury finally indicted Michael Gargiulo for Tricia's murder.

Cook County press conference: "Late yesterday we filed a criminal complaint in court charging Michael Gargiulo with first degree murder in the brutal slaying of Pacaccio."

Video: Cook County State's Attorney Press Conference, July 7, 2011

It was an announcement the Pacaccio family had been waiting 18 years to hear... certainly welcome news and yet bittersweet.

"For me ...the witnesses coming forward to '48 Hours' after the show -- was the first step. And then getting it to the police and having them validate the claim is when we really started to feel a sense of accomplishment," said Doug. "It doesn't take away the pain, but there is some sense of relief -- not closure yet. ...It's a start. And that's all it is, it's a start."

"Do you have hope at this point, he will see a day in court here?"

"I wouldn't say hope, I would say, I have the -- tenacity to keep goin' after 'em until it does happen," said Rick.

"You're not going to give up?"

"I'm not gonna give up, no. My daughter is gonna get the representation that she deserves," he said.

"It's not over," Doug Pacaccio said. "...it'll never be over for -- for the victims. It'll never be over for the victims' families. The only thing that's over is he's off the streets. And young women can sleep a little better at night."

Prosecutors are hoping to have Michael Gargiulo's trial for the murders of Ashley Ellerin and Maria Bruno in court before the end of the year. He is now acting as his own attorney.

If convicted, he will face the death penalty.

Regardless of the outcome in Los Angeles, Chicago prosecutors intend to try Gargiulo in Illinois.

• « Previous Page
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

[temer6969]

hi maureen it was so weird i hadnt heard anything about mike in months, then i turned on the tv and again mike was there. So far it appears that you and tom smalls are the only two that aren't full of crap. I'm not sure of the purpose of the show. Cook county will never bring him to trial.The illinois constitution has changed and i believe i can discuse the aduio recordings they told me to disregard. Whos keeping secerets someone is hiding something.
-Temer

[archangelum]

Ted Bundy was moved for trials; one here in Illinois. During one his last trials Bundy escaped to Florida and went on his last killing spree. Certainly Tricia deserves justice but I disagree with having to shuttle criminals around in the Web Age. Why not Web trials? Why ever move him? I can say without a doubt that the higher authorities in Illinois want a Gargiulo trial more for the TMZ time, Newspaper stories, CNN, etc... media attention rather than justice. It will be a circus instead of the dignity Tricia deserves.
With all respect, I have no idea how the Pacaccio and all the families suffer from the horrific trauma and I know many are praying for all of them; however, perhaps accepting that Michael Gargiulo killed Tricia should be enough. It truly will be a spectacle of a Cook County Court trial where verdicts are bought and sold like cigarettes.
Some law enforcement officer or officers ought to put Michael Gargiulo in harms way quickly, before he ever escapes; like Ted Bundy did, twice. There exists an unending parade of attorneys ulcerating to defend such heroic actions in the name of justice, Justified style. The authorities should just shoot and kill Mr. Gargiulo, now, just like fictitious authorities shot the innocent Tom Robinson 17 times during an escape attempt in To Kill a Mockingbird. They did it for the safety of citizens.

[varigdc10]

I live in a Chicago suburb that is in Cook county, and I learned not to trust any politician or law enforcement people in Cook county at all. I would not even trust my mom if she was a cop in Cook county.

[johnlockesghost]

What is it about DNA evidence that some of you don't seem to understand?

[debbie1120]

I believe he's guilty. Too coincidental that he happens to live around the victims at the time of their attack. I know coincidental will not stand in court. Hopefully, they will get the evidence they need to put him away forever, like find more victims.

[bruce789]

Says murders being especially brutal, like someone really mad, and what was the motive. The Simpson murder in June 94 in Los Angeles was that way, that one never made sense because OJ was an easy going guy, too old to be psycho. The other murders in Hollywood in 2001 and El Monte in 2005 were in that area. Simpson wife was good looking, had some domestic arguments with husband which might have been the thing that triggered a murderer other than OJ, like Bruno had trouble with husband.

[Calltwoarms]

Are you outta your mind?! O.J. is NOT easy going! LOL! You must be high on dogfood! O.J. murdered Nichole and Ron Goldman. Why would Michael kill Goldman? There's NO MOTIVE!

[5consider]

He should definately be tried in Chicago to EMBARRASS his relatives who prevented him from confessing years ago when he was still living in Chicago and went over to her parents to confess and his SISTER and FATHER came and got him to protect him from doing that - As far as I am concerned, they had a hand in killing the other victims after that. Shame, shame on you!!!!!! THIS family created the serial killer.

[AnnieDanny]

I do wonder about his family - how much they knew.

[take_a_number]

You know I lost interest you know after about you know the third you know sentence.

[guest173]

probably just a nervous tick, it happens

[Dgunner]

I have a cousin that lives in cook county. He says the cook county detectives can't catch cold with 80% of help from the public and in cases in the past five years he knows at least 7 guilty people have recived mistrials because of mishandling of evidence.

[Lerianis4]

Well, actually that is common anywhere, contrary to what you see on CSI.

[Calltwoarms]

Cops are idiots generally speaking and that's why these people turn into serial killers. If the cops were better they'd catch these predators after the first murder.

[hifi44]

If ever there was the perfect circumstantial case this is it. He just happened to be living across the street at 2 different locations where a woman was murdered in California and just happened to be living in the neighborhood where a girl was murdered in Illinois and lived across the street from where a woman was almost murdered in Chicago. Seriously if you think those are coincidences you have a mentally impaired IQ.

[debbie1120]

OK, if not coincident then extremely bad luck.

[johnlockesghost]

DNA is proof that the evidence is NOT circumstantial. Too bad drawing and quartering no longer applies because this filth deserves it.

[Calltwoarms]

This guy killed everywhere he lived! Too bad the don't still burn tied to the stake!