The four young men who lost their lives.
The co-defendants in a brutal July killing spree faced the next step towards justice at preliminary hearings at the Bucks County Justice Center on Thursday.
Jimi Patrick of Newtown Township, Dean Finocchiaro of Middletown, Tom Meo of Plumbstead and Mark Sturgis of Pennsburg, Montgomery County were missing in the early days of July, when the police investigation suddenly shifted to DiNardo’s parents’ sprawling property. A ghoulish 96-hour search resulted in a confession by Cosmo DiNardo and the bodies of Finocchiaro, Patrick, Meo and Sturgis being located. In exchange for telling authorities where Patrick’s body lay, the prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty for DiNardo.
DiNardo appeared via video feed in front of Judge Maggie Snow in the ceremonial courtroom at the Bucks County Justice Center. Coming through the feed, DiNardo wore his bright orange incarceration jumpsuit and sounded muffled.
DiNardo affirmed that his lawyers Michael Parlow and Paul Lang had explained what a preliminary is and he agreed to waive his right to one. More than thirty family members looked on as DiNardo waived his right to a hearing.
Outside the courtroom, Tom Kline, of Kline and Specter, representing the Finocchiaro family, spoke with the media, describing DiNardo’s mannerisms during the abbreviated hearing as odd and awkward.
Tom Kline speaking to reporters after the hearings.
Credit: Erich Martin/NewtownPANow.com
“Rather than saying that it was short and sweet, I will instead say that it was short and bitter,” Kline said.”We are here today to see that the criminal justice process moves forward and we are here to support the prosecutors,” Kline said.
Kratz’s preliminary hearing went a little differently, but resulted in the same arraignment date. The state presented evidence and called one witness, detective Martin McDonough. McDonough has worked with the Bucks County District Attorney’s office for 17 years, and was one of the detectives who interviewed Kratz on July 13.
According to McDonough’s testimony, Kratz, through his interview with detectives in July, placed himself at the scene of three of the murders, but strongly maintains that the entire sequence was the idea of DiNardo.
According to McDonough’s testimony, Kratz maintains that he did not see Dean Finocchiaro’s murder. He only heard the gunshots from outside of the barn, but once he confirmed what the loud bangs were, he proceeded to throw up, according to McDonough’s testimony.
“According to your client, everything was Cosmo DiNardo’s idea,” McDonough said during the defense’s cross examination.
Cosmo DiNardo and Sean Kratz
Credit: Bucks County District Attorney’s Office
McDonough also testified that, according to Kratz, DiNardo and Kratz are not the cousins DiNardo made them out to be, and are in fact barely more than casual acquaintances who have only associated with each other for a short time.
According to McDonough’s testimony, following the “massacre,” as Kratz referred to the three murders, the two ended up at Steve’s Steaks in Philadelphia.
“The act of the murders are grotesque enough, but to think that these two went out for a cheesesteak afterwards is just beyond comprehension,” said Kline after the hearing concluded.
Following the hearing, first assistant district attorney Gregg Shore met with reporters and described DiNardo’s actions as deplorable and reffered to the defendant as a “mass murderer.”
“This is a step on the path to justice,” Shore said, mentioning that the state is happy with the result that both Kratz and DiNardo will be held for trial.
Kline described the day and situation as extraordinarily difficult for the Finocchiaro family, but reinforced again and again their thirst for justice and deterrence in the future.
The preliminary hearings were originally scheduled for July 31, but was continued to September 7.
Kratz and DiNardo’s arraignment has been set for October 6.
