She put his remains into a 3-piece suitcase set, and those three pieces were later found in Chesapeake Bay. Medical examiners were never able to pinpointhow he died beyond asphyxiation. McGuire, 49, a former fertility nurse who was nicknamed the "suitcase killer," was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted in April 2007 of murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, desecration of human remains and perjury in the death of her husband, William McGuire. Melanie and Bill McGuire pictured in Atlantic City, New Jersey at an unknown date. Melanie McGuire wasn't arrested until over a year later when the suitcases surfaced in Virginia. The evidence that was at trial was from ballistic experts.. (Times of Trenton file photo/Department of Corrections), He raped and killed a young artist, then killed a guy on death row. They recorded her calls with family and friends, including Miller, with whom she was having the affair. Crime: After splitting with his wife, the Neptune police sergeant was upset because he felt like he wasn't getting enough time with their nine children. Prezioso is certain that Bill McGuires murderer is the woman who was convicted and is now sitting in prison. They were confident Miller was not involved in the crime but were never able to bring charges against anyone else. Melanie McGuire, the former Woodbridge resident convicted of killing her husband, cutting his body into pieces and discarding them inside suitcases thrown into the Chesapeake Bay, will return to the national spotlight this month with the debut of a new movie. "He said he was leaving, and he wasn't coming back, and I could tell my children they didn't have a father." McGuire maintains her innocence, and wants her two adult sons to look into the case for themselves. His earliest parole date is Jan. 28, 2048, when he will be 57. Where are they now? The movie also stars Michael Roark as William McGuire, Jackson Hurst as Dr. Bradley Miller and Wendie Malick as Patricia Prezioso,who formerly served in the New Jersey Attorney Generals Office and was lead prosecutor in the McGuire case. Watch the full story on "20/20" Friday, Sept. 25, at 9 p.m. I absolutely tried to have those charges taken off because I feared that people would look and think what they ultimately ended up thinking," McGuire said. The New Jersey Supreme Court has denied her petition for sentence relief. She may be eligible for parole after serving 66 years in prison, court documents filed in her case said. McGuire, now 46 years old, is serving a life sentence at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility. Fortin's appeal was rejected first by a state appellate court in 2015 and then by the state Supreme Court the following year. Where Is The Suitcase Killer's Ex-Lover Bradley Miller Now? 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. He remained on death row for years while he appealed, and the death sentence was abolished in 2007. Prezioso said she has no doubt Melanie McGuire's gun was the murder weapon. "I panicked. (NJ.com file photo/Tim Hawk), Teen killed 12-year-old, hid her body in recycling bin. Did star lawyer botch suitcase murder case? - Daily Record Daniels and Jenoff have both been released after serving 23-year terms. InMay 2004 his body parts were found stuffed into three matching black and green Kenneth Cole Reaction suitcases thrown into the Chesapeake Bay near Virginia Beach. [24][25] On April 29, 2014, McGuire filed a motion for post-conviction relief, alleging ineffective assistance of counsel and newly discovered evidence. She's now a 47-year-old inmate at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility in Clinton, New Jersey, where she claims that she's not only innocent of killing her husband but that his real killer is still out there. She was convicted at trial in 2016. His conviction and sentence was upheld in 1999. Cooper appealed for post-conviction relief, taking his case to the state's Supreme Court, but the court ruled against him in 2006. She purchased a gun just two days before he was shot, so the timing was suspicious but she claimed Bill had asked her to buy the gun for him, and she agreed. Her parole eligibility date is listed as May 20, 2073, according to the New Jersey Department of Corrections. What's happened with their appeals? What's happened with their appeals? Brothers Jonathan Zarate (top left and top right) and his little brother James Zarate (bottom left and bottom right) were convicted of killing their neighbor in 2005 in Randolph. Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women Facility Type State Prison Authority New Jersey Department of Corrections Address 30 County Road 513 PO Box 4004, Clinton, NJ, 08809 Phone 908-735-7111 Capacity 909 Date Established 1913 Offender Gender Female Offenders Security Level Maximum, medium and minimum City Clinton Postal Code 8809 State Jonathan Zarate's earliest parole date is Nov. 10, 2071, when he will be 84. Creato is held in Garden State Youth Correctional Facility in Chesterfield Township. "People ask me, 'Explain this. What's happened with their appeals? "I just wanted to get away from him at that point," she said (via YouTube). may be available from PACER. There were two charges, totaling 90 cents, on her statement that proved she had driven to Atlantic City after her husband went missing. His body was identified after a sketch of his face was released by police. Where are they now? Melanie says in the past, when theyre angry at each other, its a way of messing with each other, I guess you could say., It sounds beyond ridiculous sitting here saying it and I acknowledge that Its the truth, Melanie McGuire told 20/20.. At trial, his defense attorneys claimed he was not guilty by way of insanity but Miraglia maintained that he was not mentally ill. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. His earliest parole date is June 20, 2030. But by the penalty phase of the second trial, the state of New Jersey had repealed the death penalty. She was found guilty and the former nurse remains held at the troubled Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in Clinton, where she is serving a life sentence. That night, according to the prosecution, McGuire drugged her husband, shot him dead, and subsequently dismembered his body. Watch new at 9/8c on ABC. After all these years, I still feel hurt. She pleaded not guilty. They closed the documents on their new house on April 28, but never moved in. Melanie's receipt for the gun also listed an unspecified purchase of $9.95; there were only two items in the store for that amount, and one of them was a box of wadcutter bullets. A man then says, "who does this to another human being?". He ultimately was convicted of two murders and three kidnappings in New Jersey, in addition to the murder of three women in New York. People explains that she did this all in an effort to maintain her relationship with Mills. This stuff exists, she said on the show. Seidle, who pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter, losthis appeal of his 30-year sentence in 2017. On an episode of "20/20," Melanie said (via My Central Jersey), "There were times I wanted him [Bill] gone, but gone doesn't mean dead.". Like, how could somebody think that I did that? https://t.co/f9HrMsbxkY. Shes now a 47-year-old inmate at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility in Clinton, New Jersey, where she claims that shes not only innocent of killing her husband but that his real killer is still out there. ET on ABC With the story debunked, the request for a new trial was withdrawn. James Zarateappealed for years to have his sentence reduced, with his attorney claiming he was influenced by his older brother. She will not be eligible for parole until May 20, 2073 In a recent. What's happened with their appeals? Bergrin appealed his convictions and sentence, saying he was denied a fair trial for several reasons. Woodbridge's Melanie McGuire Story Will Be Lifetime Movie June 18 Then he hired congregant Len Jenoff and Paul Danielsto beat his wife to death and make it look like a botched robbery. Phil Murphy announced in a press release Monday his intention to. At trial, prosecutors presented an apparent mountain of circumstantial evidence against Melanie McGuire in Bill McGuires disappearance and murder. [9] Police received a tip from a private towing company employee who said he towed a 2002 Nissan Maxima (Bill McGuire's car) from the Flamingo Motel in Atlantic City, on May 8, 2004. She may be eligible for parole after serving 66 years in prison, court. ", a judge rejected a separate request for post-conviction relief. Despite it's name, the facility houses young adult inmates. Making matters worse, Melanie McGuire had called the company and attempted to have those charges removed. Jonathan Zarate's argument for a new trial claiming that his lawyer was ineffective and evidence shouldn't have been allowed wasnot successful. NJ mom Melanie McGuire insists from prison she's not the - Knewz I'm a nurse or I was a nurse, and I don't need to look up things like that. a judge in 2010 imposed the maximum sentence, Robinson, 15, and his brother, Dante Robinson, 17, were arrested, claiming in a 2017 interview with NJ.com that she started hitting him first, A jury found the killing was self defense, He claimed he was on a mission from God to "close the gates of hell", The most infamous event ever in each of N.J.'s 21 counties, Women who have killed: 12 of New Jersey's most notorious, Corruption Jersey style: Councilman may join long list of crooked officials, The 55 unsolved missing children cases in New Jersey. Meghan Sacks, host of podcast "Direct Appeal" and Fairleigh Dickinson University criminology professor questions Melanie McGuire's guilt. We followed those killers as they were arrested, tried and sentenced, and even as they continued to appeal their convictions. Robinson admitted he was the one who strangled Pasquale to death claiming in a 2017 interview with NJ.com that she started hitting him first and his brother pleaded guilty to obstruction. Author John Glatt wrote a book about the case, entitled To Have and To Kill. She again pleaded not guilty and was released after posting $10,000 bail. Before she was charged with murder, Melanie contacted E-ZPass and attempted to have the $0.90 charge removed from her account history. Locane said she worries that her daughters and the public will forget her. (Tim Hawk/Department of Corrections), Dad gets deal after admitting he killed 3-year-old son. The Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women near Clinton, New Jersey, made headlines for allegations of sexual abuse and for the recent spread of the coronavirus, New Jersey Spotlight News reported. Sentence: Both young men received life sentences plus additional time, butJames Zarate was resentenced last year to 50 years on the murder charge. Last year,a judge rejected a separate request for post-conviction relief in which McGuire had claimed her defense attorney provided ineffective counsel. Although detectives did not find what they were looking for on the surveillance footage, they were able to find something curious on Melanie McGuires statement from her electronic toll payment company, EZ Pass. Kanka's death inspired Megan's Law statutes at the federal level and in states throughout the country, requiring sex offenders to register with local authorities. Where are they now? Just weeks after Melanie McGuire was found guilty, she appealed her case, claiming that Bill was $90,000 in debt to loan sharks in the mob (via NJ.com). Lodzinski tried to get her conviction thrown out on the grounds the jury had been tainted by a foreman's independent research about the case. William McGuire died from gunshot wounds to the head and chest. Fortin in 2010 appealed his second conviction, arguing several prosecution witnesses should not have been allowed to testify at trial. [9] Melanie later claimed she had moved the car as a "prank",[8] even though she had applied for a protection from abuse order days earlier after allegedly being slapped by her husband. It's out there," she said. These filings and docket sheets should not be considered findings of fact or liability, nor do they necessarily reflect the view of Justia. Sentence: Cottingham is serving more than 200 years for two killings in New Jersey, and a life sentence for the third homicide to which he pleaded guilty in 2010. At this point, it was clear that the man had been shot multiple times in the torso and once in the head (via YouTube). Do you know how hard it is to cut through bone? She maintains her innocence, having recently told 20/20 that "after all these years, I still feel hurt. His 2017 trial ended in a hung jury and he pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter a few months later, though he never said how he caused the boy's death. If I wanted to look for something like that, I have a [physicians' desk reference]. 2011 - Google Scholar", "N.J. appeals court upholds life sentence for convicted suitcase killer Melanie McGuire", "State v. McGuire, 27 A. The case status is Pending - Other Pending. Access the Case Summary and Docket Report to access additional information about this case on the US Court's PACER system. During her arraignment on murder charges, McGuire's case was dubbed the "Suitcase Murder" by various media outlets. Melanie McGuire is serving a life sentence in the murder of her husband, Bill McGuire, at a womens correctional facility in New Jersey. The film stars Candice King as Melanie McGuire, Michael Roark as William McGuire, Jackson Hurst as Bradley Miller, and Wendie Malick as Patricia Prezioso.[29]. Melanie McGuire says she isnt hoping for prison release, in a new jailhouse interview with @ARobach Friday at 9/8c during a new #ABC2020. What Happened To Melanie McGuire's Lawyer After Her Trial? Per ABC News, she received a life sentence and is now incarcerated at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility in New Jersey . Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. A judge in October 2016 rejected both claims, granted Koedatich's request for a new test of DNA evidence. While on death row, Harris punched, kicked and stomped to death a fellow death row inmate, Robert "Mudman" Simon, who had been convicted of killing Franklin Township police Sgt. The appellate court upheld the decision and theSupreme Court declined to hear it in 2016. It also promised to better educate staff and inmates about the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act, and said it had set up an early-warning system to identify problematic behavior by staff. Rabbi Fred Neulander is pictured at left at his trial and at right in his most current prison mugshot. Melanie did not incapacitate, shoot [or] use a saw to dismember her husband, said Sacks. The investigation began after the body parts were discovered and Melanie McGuire was identified as a main suspect. Locane is back behind bars for killing Helene Seeman, 60, in a 2010 drunk driving collision in New Jersey's Montgomery Township. Rebecca Everett and Thomas Moriarty | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, who worked at a number of hospitals in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, killed six women in New Jersey and New York, helping run a New York City escort service, "might have been the subject of a sophocles tragedy in olden times or a Scorsese film these days. While Sacks and Shlosberg will come to their own conclusions about whether they believe Melanie McGuire is innocent, their investigations aim to explore how her case was handled and the fairness of her trial . The Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in Clinton, NJ, is the only state prison for women in New Jersey. Ippolito "Lee" Gonzalez in 1995. [9] A witness testified that Melanie used the same towels to protect furniture when she moved. Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women, NJ Inmate Roster - Prisonroster Harris, who has served 24 years, is held in New Jersey State Prison in Trenton. The 48-year-old actress and mother of two has been sober since the 2010 crash. Meghan Sacks and Amy Schlosberg are the hosts of the podcast "Direct Appeal" and Fairleigh Dickinson University criminology professors. After a ruling by the state Supreme Court that Fortin was eligible for the newly created sentence of life without parole, a judge in 2010 imposed the maximum sentence. At right, he talks about killing Autumn Pasquale in a jailhouse interview in 2017. Next: What is the Lifetime movie Dirty . Justin Robinson, at left, appears in court to face a murder charge. Attorney Joe Tacopina defended Melanie McGuire against charges of murdering her husband in her 2007 trial. As McGuire maintains her innocence, she is running out of appeal options. His first trial ended in a hung jury, but he was convicted of murder in 2002. N.J.'s most infamous killers behind bars: Then and now - nj.com After pulling the surveillance footage from the parking lot, however, investigators were disappointed. He was successful in 2017 and had his life sentence changed to 50 years. A top priority for New Jersey investigators was determining if Melanie McGuire had ever owned a gun. Fortin, now 53, is serving his sentence at the New Jersey State Prison in Trenton. Melanie McGuire never reported her husband was missing. They knew that Pennsylvania was close and a lot of people will go to Pennsylvania for firearms because gun laws are more lax, Sacks said. Harris has filed and lost many appeals, including state and federal appeals for a new trial because the judge refused to move his trial. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Suitcase Killer: The Melanie McGuire Story Lifetime Candice King - MEAWW What's happened with their appeals? 3d 948 - NJ: Supreme Court 2011 - Google Scholar", "N.J. Supreme Court won't hear appeal of convicted 'suitcase killer', "Convicted killer Melanie McGuire seeking post-conviction relief in June hearing", "Suitcase killer Melanie McGuire seeks new review of evidence", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Melanie_McGuire&oldid=1151299073, American prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment, Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by New Jersey, People from Middletown Township, New Jersey, People from Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, All articles with bare URLs for citations, Articles with bare URLs for citations from March 2022, Articles with PDF format bare URLs for citations, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 23 April 2023, at 04:25. I just wanted to get away from him at that point. A second trial in 2007 ended in the same verdict. After all these years, I still feel hurt," McGuire told "20/20", For some, it mightve seemed like a real-life episode of The Sopranos.. So where are New Jersey's infamous felons now? . Supreme Court declined to hear it in 2016. Where are they now? Rosario "Russell" Miraglia is pictured at a court appearance in 2008 and in a recent prison photo. McGuire told 20/20 she did not commit the crimes for which she was convicted. David "DJ" Creato Jr. appears in court in 2016 and in a recent prison photo. Their theory was that this nurse, who was kind of so meticulous, had somehow just forgotten to wipe the bottom of her shoes, that she accidentally tracked these human sawdust particles of Bill's body from the house to the car, said John Glatt, a true crime author who wrote To Have and To Kill, a book about Melanie McGuires case. Both are in New Jersey State Prison in Trenton. [9] The footage was blurry and the police weren't able to identify the person in the video. "I can't even fathom that. Miraglia, 45, is incarcerated at New Jersey State Prison in Trenton. Wronko, who is also Locane's boyfriend, is appealing the new sentence, which he believes violates her double jeopardy protections. I guess it is comforting [that people are interested]. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Youre talking about hours [of driving] and there isnt enough time, said McGuire. It is the largest law enforcement agency in the state with approximately 10,500 employees. [5], Melanie Lyn Slate grew up in Ridgewood and Middletown Township, New Jersey, attending Middletown High School South. These documents exist. Miller was adamant that he had nothing to do with any crime, and he didnt know anything about this. We looked very closely at Dr. Miller, said Prezioso. The evidence in this case points to a well-organized, meticulously planned execution of a murder, Prezioso said during the trial. Dr. Crime: Cullen, a nurse who worked at a number of hospitals in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in 2005 to killing a total of 29 patients between the two states, beginning in 1988. The court awarded custody of her two sons to Bill McGuires sister, Cindy Ligosh, and Melanie McGuire has had no contact with them since her trial. It was hard. But in 2009, he was arrested with several associates and charged with, among other things, orchestrating the murder of a witness, racketeering, promoting prostitution, and money laundering. They searched gun records in the state but found nothing. [23] On September 20, 2011, the New Jersey Supreme Court declined to hear her further appeal. What's happened with their appeals? Prosecutors believed that McGuire forged the prescription as she had access to this prescription pad. Miller looked at the prescription and he said, Thats not my signature and it appears to be Melanie McGuires handwriting, recalled Prezioso. Melanie Lyn McGuire (ne Slate; born October 8, 1972)[3] is an American former nurse who was convicted of murdering her husband on April 28, 2004, in what media dubbed the "suitcase murder". Days later, an unidentified man, believed by many to be her stepfather, also contacted E-ZPass and attempted to have the charge removed. https://t.co/ZGewROXCaQ pic.twitter.com/hlzcKR96Ss. What Happened To Melanie McGuire, The Suitcase Killer? McGuire is lodged at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women, serving a life sentence in Clinton, New Jersey. She does have an interesting new cellmate: In 2020, Melanie began sharing a cell with former actress Amy Locane, who starred in the TV show "Melrose Place." He is now serving a life sentence without parole. Dig, dig. Like, how could somebody think that I did that?" The bullets that came out of my husband had six lands and grooves," said Melanie McGuire. Melanie McGuire, now 47, maintains her innocence from the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in Clinton, New Jersey, the state's only women's prison where there are approximately 500 . After a few years, the marital dynamics began to shift. Data from the New Jersey Department of Corrections details cases since they implemented additional measures. Like, how could somebody think that I did that? Melanie McGuire told ABC News Amy Robach in a rare interview from prison for "20/20.. NJ will close Edna Mahan Correctional Facility, Gov. Murphy says The fisherman pulled a dark green suitcase from the estuaryand pried it open to find that the contents of the suitcase were two human legs, cut at the knees. Where are they now:Records show Timmendequas, now 57, is serving his sentence at the New Jersey State Prison in Trenton. Rebecca Everett may be reached atreverett@njadvancemedia.com. She is currently incarcerated at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in Clinton, New Jersey . Creato was accused of killing Brendan, 3,because his 17-year-old girlfriend didn't like that he was a dad and was breaking up with him. Crime:Miraglia, then 31,killed andcut off the heads, hands and feet of hisgrandmotherJulia Miraglia, 88, and his ex-girlfriend, Leigh Martinez, 31, in their Ocean Township home on June 8, 2004. Melanie McGuire denies this, pointing to the fact that there are hundreds of miles between Delaware and Virginia Beach. The friend, Vladimir Basilio,testified that Jonathan taunted his younger brother into taking part in the killing by saying he didn't have the guts to do it, but Jonathan told police he did it because Parks insulted his brother. Make up your mind. When a bullet passes through, its smooth surface becomes imprinted with the same number of lands and grooves as the barrel. In addition to 20/20, her case is being examined in a podcast, Direct Appeal. She filed an appeal to the New Jersey Superior Court, which affirmed her conviction and sentence in 2011. She didn't contact Bill or report him as a missing person, which some of Bill's friends found suspicious. Where are they now? Melanie McGuire said her husband Bill assaulted her during an argument then left. Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women (formerly the Clinton Correctional Facility for Women) [1] is a prison facility for women of the state of New Jersey Department of Corrections, located in Union Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, [2] [3] near Clinton. People are feeling this way now, but when it's no longer a story, I'll just be forgotten. (Photos from New Jersey News Photos and the state Department of Corrections), Killer whose crime sparked Megan's Law will stay in prison for life.
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