Christopher Porco is seen during his trial in the Orange County Courthouse in Goshen on July 20, 2006. Despite nearly being on death's door, Spectrum Local News states that Joan Porco told responding officers that her son, Christopher Porco, had been their assailant. `I asked her if she had memories, but never specifically of the attack,` said Spurgas. Following the fall 2003 semester, University of Rochester officials had forced Christopher Porco to withdraw because of poor grades. During the early morning hours of Nov. 15, 2004, Peter and Joan Porco were brutally hacked by an ax-wielding intruder in their bedroom. Spotlight News states that Peter was extensively maimed and had a deep cut from his skull to his brain. But jurors interviewed by 48 Hours Mystery said that they had dismissed the testimony about the nod for precisely that reason and had insteadrelied onthe prosecutions crime timeline as proof of guilt. 2010 The Thought & Expression Company, LLC. Resolved: Release in which this issue/RFE has been resolved. Blaming the community college's registrar, he wrote, "[B]ut obviously they are incorrectMy lowest grade that I got on anything was a B on a physics testDon't jump to conclusions, I'm fine. Back home in Delmar, Joan and Peter Porco kept receiving notices from credit agencies indicating Christopher was not paying his bills, and a notice came from the school saying his tuition had not been paid. If only the parents are killed, the case may also be referred to as a parricide.Where all members of a family are killed, the crime may be referred . The crimes were committed on November 15, 2004 at the home of Peter and Joan Porco in Delmar, New York. BLOG: Visit our Porco Trial blog for updates throughout the day. Unbeknownst to his parents, Christopher was attempting to pay his fall 2004 tuition with the loan money. Uncle Frank had served in the New York City Fire Department. He was also a troubled young man with a pension for burglarizing and lying. As a city desk editor, he's on the front lines of newsgathering for the Capital Region's newspaper. During the. Joan was lying in the couple's blood-drenched bed with severe head and facial trauma. Shanks noted that Frank Porco's nickname with the mob was "The Fireman," which could have had something to do with the type of murder weapon found (an axe that he and his wife had dubbed a "fire axe"). Investigators also thought Christopher chosean ax as hisweaponin the beliefit would divert all suspicion to his mob-involved relative Frankie the Fireman.. A bloody axe left at the scene belonged to the family.". [5], While away on a trip to England in March 2004, Christopher received an email from Joan Porco's account admonishing him for failing classes at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, NY. Defense Attorney Laurie Shanks was quick to point out that Spurgas is a neurosurgeon and not a neurologist, and cannot testify as an expert witness with respect to cognitive functions. . TheForensic Filesand48 Hours Mysteryepisodes about the case didnt play up that angle. 01:18:45 - We hear almost daily about mothers and fathers killing their children, sometimes their entire family. GOSHEN -- Less than two weeks before she and her husband were brutally attacked in their Delmar home, Joan Porco briefly lost her composure in an e-mail she wrote to her younger son, Christopher. The prosecution had no forensic evidence, except for a New York Thruway ticket that allegedly carried Christophers mitochondrial DNA. She told the juryshe didnt recall implicatingChristopher the night of the attack and that her childwould never commit a heinous crime like the one that killed her husband and disfigured her. [1] His wife Joan Porco (ne Balzano), a children's speech pathologist,[1] was discovered lying in the couple's blood-drenched bed with severe head trauma; she survived the attack, but lost one eye and part of her skull and suffered severe facial disfigurement. Joan Porco survived the attacks that murdered her husband, Peter, and for which her son, Christopher, 22, is now on trial. . Christopher Porco's distinctive yellow Jeep was a crucial part of the prosecution's case. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Investigators theorized he wore scrubs from the veterinary office during the assault and then destroyed or hidthem. What greed will do . At one point, he reached out and straightened her necklace. Joan argued that she was unable to remember what happened the night of the attack but knew that her son could have never killed her husband. Surveillance cameras captured the Jeep leaving a Rochester college the night of his father's murder. Flights of fancy. Part of the problem stemmed from complaints from consumers who reported that Christopher had taken money from them for computers or other products but never delivered the goods as promised. An axe belonging to family, which was used in the attack, was found in the couple's bedroom. Brendan Lyons can be reached at 454-5547 or by e-mail at blyons@timesunion.com. Porco is on trial for the murder of his father, Peter Porco, and attempted murder of his mother, Joan Porco. Police believe Christopher cut the hole in the window to make it look like a burglary. [8], Christopher Porco told investigators that on the night of November 14, he retired to a dormitory lounge to sleep and awoke the following morning. "Get your head out of the clouds and pay your bills.". Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Many jurors sat stone-faced as they listened to Joan Porco's testimony, which included anecdotes about her boys' childhoods that made some jurors laugh, along with Christopher. [7], Professor Frank Perri has argued that police interviews with Christopher Porco were seriously flawed because police questioning procedures seemingly failed to account for Porco's probable psychopathy. Asof this writing, Christopher, 33, isprisoner #O6A6686 at New York states Clinton Correctional Facility, commonly known as Dannemora. ATimes Union blog postinviting readers to weigh in on Christopher Porcos guilt or innocence yielded much praise for the jury and prosecutors who convicted him as well assome refutation ofclaims that Christopherwas well-liked. Unaware he is suffering from a deadly attack or that his wife is bleeding to death by his bed, Peter gets up because he has a routine to follow. petitioner sustained a serious injury and then applied for and was granted disability retirement under Education Law 511. In November 2004, the unthinkable happened to Peter and Joan Porco. The book also noted that the neocortex segregates functions especially well across spatial regions and that lesions to the neocortex are more likely to be localized to a single region than are subcortical regions.. According to the Albany Times Union, Johnathan's testimony influenced the jury; his demeanor toward his brother was "icy", and he described their relationship as "strained". Wow, I've never heard of this case. The children were sent to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Plymouth. 8:30 a.m. Jeep returned to campus. He was also doing tons of shit that he could have faced actual jail time over, including burglary, fraud, and forging his fathers signature on some major loans. Acolleague testified that Christopher had experience cleaning up after surgical procedures. Assistant District Attorney Michael McDermott later described how Peter Porco was found. Police had theorized that noneighbors heardBarrister bark that night because the killer was someone (presumably Christopher) that the Labrador retrieveralready knew. Surveillance cameras captured the Jeep leaving a Rochester college the night of the attacks. Heres one: Benny1311: I was a year above Porco in school. [19][11], A neighbor of the Porco family later testified at trial that he saw Porco's yellow Jeep in the family's driveway on the evening of the attack. `You are not a doctor,` said . Thats all for this weeks post, but Id like to continue next Thursday with a look at some of the other interesting parts of the Christopher Porco drama, including the way hisdoomed father woke up after the attack, the conflicting tales about whether Christopher deserved the Romeo Killer nickname a made-for-TV movie gave him, and his recent efforts to exithis maximum-security residence. Joan Porco Identified Killer Then Recanted Brooke Makenna 281K subscribers Subscribe 4.5K 79K. Phone line cut (this was 2004, when land lines were relevant) The email's subject header was "Failing Grades-You did it again! Lindsay was taken to South Shore Hospital in Weymouth with broken bones in her back and ribcage - these injuries have left her paralyzed below the waist. - former mayor Andrew Young on unanswered questions in the case &quo All content provided on this "Criminal Misconduct" blog is for informational purposes only. Bethlehem Police soon focused their investigation on Christopher Porco, the younger of the couple's two sons, who was a student at the University of Rochester 230 miles away. A couple typical ones: Leah Blodget: Romeo? Contact him at mgoodwin@timesunion.com or 518-454-5465. His appeals have been exhausted. Like her husband, she had been hitwith an ax, but only three times. "Don't be a fool," Joan Porco wrote to him on Oct. 20, 2004. In November 2004, the unthinkable happened to Peter and Joan Porco. It was spring break, and Christopher Porco was touring Europe with some friends when his parents found out. [12] Also, University of Rochester students testified that they did not see Porco sleeping in a dormitory lounge on the night of the attack. All That's Interesting reports that he tried to pack his lunch and wrote a check to his son, Christopher. "Peter and Joan Porco are found after being bludgeoned with an axe as they sleep, Peter Porco was discovered dead from massive blunt head trauma at his front door. Another contention one that makes sense was that Joan Porcos alleged nod in answer to the question of whether or not it was Christopher who had attacked her was unreliable evidence because of her severe brain injuries. [11], Prior to the attack, there had been tension between Christopher Porco and his parents about money, including over loans Christopher had taken out to pay his tuition and to finance a new Jeep Wrangler. Where is henow? She too suffered the same grievous injuries to her face and head that her husband had endured a. And its not like he was having a minor disagreement with his parents that disproportionately spiraled out of control. However, when Officer Bowdish asked if her son Christopher was responsible, she was said to have nodded her head up and down, indicating "yes". He told an investment professional he was coming into some money, investigators discovered. He used eBay to sell computer equipmentstolen from his parents anda veterinary hospital where he worked part time. she also initially claimed it was their son, then after getting out of coma, claimed it wasn't son who attacked them. Omg i can't imagine this, this is beyond sad. Windfall expected. My son was sick, so I gave him Motrin (dont even know how I measured this). [25], The Porco trial began on June 27, 2006. In half the cases, the killer lastly kills themselves in a murder-suicide. Probably not; probably, his mother lied to him. His father did not die immediately but rather livedfor a few hours after the assault, and his mothersurvived her wounds and is alive today. Build a custom email digest by following topics, people, and firms published on JD Supra. The owner of criminalmisconduct.blogspot.com will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. Rich kid with decent allowance kills super lenient parents for being a little strict or putting up boundaries. They had two children Christopher and Johnathan. Joan Porco was soon discovered by police officers. Christopher Porco, now 39, is pictured here in a prison mugshot taken at state prison in November 2009. 518.439.4949, SPOTTED: CD Jets beats Saratoga 4-2 in sectional playoffs, SPOTTED: Bethlehem boys hoops beat Niskayuna in OT, move on to play Sunday, Bethlehem Area Weekly Police Blotter February 15th 22nd, SPOTTED: Albany vs Colonie boys basketball postponed due to medical emergency rescheduled for tonight, SPOTTED: Bethlehem swims past Albany in final dual meet, SPOTTED: Raiders win battle of Colonie over Shaker 55-33, SPOTTED: Bethlehem, Shaker and Saratoga gymnasts tumble for hunger. Prosecutors contend Christopher Porco deactivated the alarm, committed the attack and then cut the telephone line in an attempt to make it look like a break-in. [2] Despite Peter's catastrophic injuries, he survived for several hours after the attack. She answered questions by both the prosecution and defense concerning her memory of the attacks and her relationship with Chris. Our local offices are located at 341 Delaware Ave, Delmar, NY 12054. Porco Murder In November 2004, someone with an ax walked into the bedroom where Peter Porco and his wife, Joan, were sleeping, expressly to kill them. AsForensic Filesexplained it, an injury can damagethe brains neocortex, which controls reasoning, but leave intact the underlying paleocortex, which guides second-nature habits. The assaulthad broken her jaw, destroyed one of her eyes, and penetrated her skull deeplyenough to expose her brain. [17] The police theory was that he drove more than three hours to Albany in early hours of November 15 to attack his parents. And he neglected to tell his parentsthat the universityhadsuspended him because of poor gradesand he had wasted his $30,000 in tuition money. Of the 40 comments posted towriter Nellie AndreevasDeadline Hollywood reviewof the movie, more than a dozen came from readers who identified themselves as neighborsorclassmates of Christopher Porco and disputed the notion of hispopularity. Eventually, Peter collapsed and died. I was always floored hearing this dude loaded a dishwasher after being bludgeoned with an axe. A camera reported missing from the burglary was recovered from the couple's front yard. (Family Ties, Forensic Files). This guy is a machine. A jury convicted Christopher, an academically derelictUniversity of Rochesterstudent from Bethlehem, New York, of attacking Joan and Peter Porcowith an ax as they slept on November 15,2004. Thus, Peter got out of bed and proceeded to start his day. After the trial, jurors commented that this testimony helped to explain the fact that police did not find blood in Porco's vehicle after the attack. On December 12, 2006, Cristopher Porco was sentenced to 50 years to life on each count totaling a minimum of 50 years in prison. The Lifetime channel made a movie based on the crimes,Romeo Killer: The Chris Porco Story, in 2013. 358, P.C 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman. He got 50 years to life and is at theClinton Correction Facility inDannemora, New York. She also said that the telephone line at their home was cut in September 2004, about a month after service was lost when a tree fell on the line. In this July 10, 2006 file photo, Christopher Porco, right, and his attorneys Terence Kindlon, left, and Laurie Shanks, center, are shown during his trial in the Orange County Courthouse in Goshen, N.Y. [20], Christopher Porco is incarcerated at Clinton Correctional Facility. However, an extensive amount of blood was strewn across the home including the walls and doorways. In the yearsleading up to the assault on his mother and father, Christopher Porco had told his school friends tall tales about having a wealthyfamily with extensive real estate holdingsand vacationhomes. Peter once again wrote to his son, who had not answered his parents' phone calls in weeks: "I want you to know that if you abuse my credit again, I will be forced to file forgery affidavits in order to disclaim liability and that applies to the Citibank college loan if you attempt to reactivate it or use my credit to obtain any other loan. A True Crime Blog of People Behaving Badly. No content to be reprinted without express permission.. Picture Window theme. "Your phone is temporarily suspended -- we can't get to you with important information and this SUCKS," Joan Porco wrote. [15] During videotaped testimony submitted to the grand jury in December 2004, Joan testified about her family, but did not identify her son as an attacker. As a result, most of the kitchen, including dishes and the floor, was covered in Peter's blood (via ABC News). Later that day, Porco was found guilty of second degree murder and attempted murder. Dr. Paul Spurgas, associate professor of neurosurgery at Albany Medical Center, spent six hours removing and repairing damaged bone from the center of Porcos scalp down the right forehead and right eye during a 12-hour overall operation to save her life. A firemans ax that was used in the attack was lying in the couples blood-drenched bedroom. Subscribe Subscribe; e-Edition Peter Porco was murdered, his wife left for dead. The registered office location is at 8464 Ibis Cove Cir, Naples, FL 34119. He is currently living at the home of Elaine LaForte and her family in Glenmont. P.O Box. [6], Police contended that Christopher Porco's behavior was consistent with a diagnosis of psychopathy or sociopathy, two similar though not identical disorders characterized by pathological deception, scamming and defrauding others, and lack of conscience or remorse. As she testified Monday at Christopher's murder trial, Joan Porco said the statement was out of character, but she was angry. Seeing pics of her and him walking to the courtroom together after shes been fucked up by him and an ax is creepy. `There is no notation that ever indicated Joan Porco was given a mental status exam when she came to the emergency room,` Shanks said. Heres a recap of the Forensic Files episode plus some additional facts about the Porco case drawn from Crime Library, 48 Hours, and Albanys Times Union newspaper. All the while, his wife Joan was bleeding from her own serious wounds on their bed.
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