Michael Gargiulo
Mugshot
Born
Michael Thomas Gargiulo

(1976-02-15) February 15, 1976 (age 48)[2]
Glenview, Illinois, U.S.
Other namesHollywood Ripper
Chiller Killer
The Boy Next Door Killer
Conviction(s)First degree murder with special circumstances (2 counts), attempted murder
Criminal chargeFelony murder
PenaltyDeath[1]
Details
Victims3–10; 1 survived
Span of crimes
1993–2008
CountryUnited States
State(s)Illinois, California
Date apprehended
June 6, 2008

Michael Thomas Gargiulo (born February 15, 1976)[2] is a convicted American serial killer.[3] 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.[4] He is currently incarcerated in San Quentin State Prison.[5]

Crimes

Gargiulo is a native of the Chicago suburb of Glenview, Illinois, where he may have stabbed his neighbor, 18-year-old Tricia Pacaccio, to death on her back doorstep. Her father found her body the next morning on August 14, 1993.[6][7] Gargiulo moved to Los Angeles in 1998, allegedly to escape the scrutiny of the police in Illinois,[8] and committed two murders and an attempted murder in Southern California between 2001 and 2008.

On February 21, 2001, he murdered 22-year-old 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.[9] According to detective Tom Small, one stab wound "actually penetrated the skull and took out a chunk of skull like a puzzle piece."[9] On the night she was murdered, Ellerin had planned a date including dinner and drinks with actor Ashton Kutcher.[10]

On December 1, 2005, Gargiulo stabbed 32-year-old Maria Bruno, his neighbor, to death at her home in El Monte, California.[11] She was stabbed 17 times.[9]

Gargiulo attempted to murder another neighbor, 26-year-old Michelle Murphy, in her home in Santa Monica on April 28, 2008.[12] She fought off the attack, and blood matching Gargiulo's DNA was found at the scene.[13]

Arrest and prosecution

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.[14] 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.[6] 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.[6]

Media in Los Angeles dubbed Gargiulo the "Hollywood Ripper" and the "Chiller Killer."[14][15] Gargiulo was held at Los Angeles County Jail while awaiting a capital murder trial.[16] A pre-trial hearing was held on June 9, 2017, in Los Angeles Superior Court, with his trial scheduled to begin in October 2017.[17] After delays, his trial began on May 2, 2019.[10][18] In May 2019, actor Ashton Kutcher testified about the crimes.[18][19]

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.[20][21][22][23] On October 18, 2019, a jury rendered a verdict of death for Michael Gargiulo after several hours of deliberation,[24] but sentencing for Gargiulo in California continued to be delayed by defense motions. On July 16, 2021, Gargiulo was sentenced to death.[25][26][27] Gargiulo is now expected to be extradited to Illinois for the 1993 killing of Tricia Pacaccio in his Illinois hometown. If extradited and convicted in Illinois, he will face a sentence of 25 years to life.[28]

See also

References

  1. ^ "'Hollywood Ripper' sentenced to death in US". The Straits Times (Singapore). July 16, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "LASD Inmate Information Center - Inmate Search". lasd.org. Archived from the original on May 29, 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
  3. ^ "Ashton Kutcher testifies in trial of serial killer suspect Michael Gargiulo". Los Angeles Times. May 29, 2019. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  4. ^ "'Hollywood Ripper' sentenced to death in US". The Straits Times (Singapore). July 16, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  5. ^ "CDCR Public Inmate Locator Disclaimer". inmatelocator.cdcr.ca.gov. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c "LA detective: Suspect could have killed 10 women". Chicago Sun Times. Archived from the original on February 20, 2014.
  7. ^ Staff (July 7, 2011). "Man Charged with Murder in Cold Case Featured on "48 Hours Mystery". 48 Hours. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  8. ^ "Michael Gargiulo to Be Charged with Killing Tricia Pacaccio". Chicago magazine. July 2011. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
  9. ^ a b c Smith, Bryan. "Did Alleged "Hollywood Ripper" Michael Gargiulo Kill Tricia Pacaccio?". Chicago magazine. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
  10. ^ a b "Man accused of murdering Ashton Kutcher's date goes on trial". www.cbsnews.com. May 2, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
  11. ^ Richards, Tori (undated). "Michael Gargiulo: Alleged Hollywood Ripper – El Monte" archive. TruTv. Original retrieved August 3, 2012. Archive retrieved March 6, 2021.
  12. ^ Richards, Tori (undated). "Michael Gargiulo: Alleged Hollywood Ripper – ". TruTV. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  13. ^ "Santa Monica — Michael Gargiulo: Alleged Hollywood Ripper — Crime Library". Archived from the original on March 7, 2014. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
  14. ^ 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.
  15. ^ Staff (November 18, 2010). "Family Says 'Hollywood Ripper' Killed in Chicago Area First". CBS News (via WBBM-TV). Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  16. ^ Staff (undated). "Michael Gargiulo Under Arrest". CBS News. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  17. ^ "Serial Killer Who Allegedly Murdered Ashton Kutcher's Former Girlfriend Ashley Ellerin to Begin Trial". June 13, 2017.
  18. ^ a b "Ashton Kutcher appears in 'Hollywood Ripper' trial". BBC News. May 30, 2019.
  19. ^ Hutchinson, Bill (May 10, 2019). "What to know about the 'Hollywood Ripper' 'thrill killer' trial of Michael Gargiulo". ABC News. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  20. ^ ""Hollywood Ripper" trial: Michael Gargiulo found guilty of murder and attempted murder". CBS News. August 15, 2019. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  21. ^ "Jury finds Michael Gargiulo guilty in California serial killing case". Associated Press. August 15, 2019. Retrieved August 16, 2019 – via NBC News.
  22. ^ "'Hollywood Ripper' Michael Gargiulo found guilty of double murders". BBC News. August 15, 2019. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  23. ^ Lloyd, Jonathan (August 15, 2019). "Michael Gargiulo Convicted in Brutal 'Hollywood Ripper' Killings". KNBC. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  24. ^ Waldrop, Theresa; Moon, Sarah (October 18, 2019). "Los Angeles jury recommends death penalty for the 'Hollywood Ripper'". CNN. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  25. ^ CBSLA Staff (July 16, 2021). "'Hollywood Ripper' Michael Gargiulo Sentenced To Death". KCBS-TV. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  26. ^ KNBC Staff and wire reports (July 16, 2021). "'Hollywood Ripper' Sentenced to Death for Killing, Mutilating Women". KNBC. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  27. ^ Dalton, Andrew (July 16, 2021). "'Boy Next Door Killer' gets death for murders of 2 women". Associated Press. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  28. ^ Granda, Carlos (July 16, 2021). "'Hollywood Ripper' serial killer sentenced to death for murdering, mutilating 2 SoCal women". KABC-TV. Archived from the original on July 16, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2021.

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