Hope she gets a death sentance. Any Florida members heard or read about her trial? Ron was a school mate, played football together, and a 20 yr. neighbor, and 60 yr friend. Made all his money buying and selling Honda dealerships, and realestate. Last saw him in 2010 at his brothers funeral. Always friendly and generous. We had a lot of fun together. Sad story.

Slain millionaire Ronald Vinci wanted to end relationship with accused killer, police say

July 06, 2011|By Peter Franceschina, Juan Ortega and Danielle A. Alvarez, Sun Sentinel

FORT LAUDERDALE — Police say wealthy retired businessman Ronald Vinci wanted to finally end his long-term relationship with his girlfriend.

During a "heated altercation" in the early morning hours of June 28 at Vinci's new multimillion-dollar home, police allege the girlfriend, Catherine Pileggi, unleashed a tremendous fury, fracturing his skull, stabbing him in the chest, slicing his throat and shooting him in the head.

Then, police say, she sought help from Vinci's handyman to dispose of his body — wrapped in bedding and plastic bags — at sea. The brutality of Vinci's death was revealed on Wednesday in a four-page arrest affidavit, one day after Pileggi was charged with first-degree murder.

Pileggi, 54, made her first court appearance Wednesday morning, and a judge ordered her held without bail. Her prominent Fort Lauderdale defense attorney, Bruce Udolf, said she was "pretty fragile, she's very confused … she's never been in this kind of situation before."

In a sign that Udolf plans an aggressive defense, he asked Broward Circuit Judge Bernard Bober to halt the planned cremation of Vinci's body so Udolf could have an independent autopsy performed. It was a request the judge said he did not have the authority to grant.

Outside of court, Udolf said the cause of Vinci's death would become an issue in the case. He declined to say whether he disputed the medical examiner's findings, or to comment on any of the other police evidence made public so far.

"This was an extremely brutal murder and a tragic loss for the Vinci family," Fort Lauderdale police spokesman Detective Travis Mandell said. "I just can't imagine someone could be capable of doing this to another person."

Vinci, 70, had been retired for more than a decade, pursuing a life of leisure afforded by great wealth. He built up several successful Honda dealerships in Southern California and Las Vegas, and dabbled in real estate and investments.

He moved to Fort Lauderdale about six years ago, and had yachts, jets and a motorcycle collection. Acquaintances describe a gregarious, personable man with keen business savvy.

His friends, though, told police that "Vinci had attempted to end his live-in relationship with Ms. Pileggi with negative results."

One of Vinci's business associates, aircraft broker Dean Kantis, owner of MicroJetNetwork.com in Fort Lauderdale, said in an interview he got the impression in recent months that Vinci wanted to put his relationship with Pileggi behind him.

"I think he was on his way out of the relationship. Knowing Ron, he would make sure Cathy was OK, financially. This is just my opinion, it was time for him to move on," said Kantis, who met Vinci several years ago when Vinci bought an Embraer jet through him. "I could tell by the attitude that it was time to move on, that it was his decision."

Vinci was in the process of selling his aircraft, and Kantis said he called him over the weekend of June 25 but didn't reach him. Kantis didn't think anything of it, knowing Vinci was busy moving into his new waterfront home on Coconut Drive in the Tarpon River neighborhood near downtown Fort Lauderdale.

He said he was stunned when he heard about Vinci's death.

"What a shame. He definitely didn't deserve this. I lost a friend," he said. "[What] I'm going to miss most was the way he answered the phone when I called, 'Well, hello Dean!' It always put a smile on my face."

While Vinci and Pileggi had a relationship dating back nearly 20 years, according to police and Pileggi's family, the couple were not always together. Pileggi was briefly married in 2001 while living in Broward County, records show, and Vinci had a four-year relationship with a woman in San Diego beginning in 2000.

That woman, Annabelle Hoptar, 52, told the Sun Sentinel that Vinci maintained a close circle of friends in Southern California. She said he was a gentleman who enjoyed the sunshine and riding his Harleys. On weekends, he would host Hoptar and her two young children at his large home in exclusive Rancho Santa Fe.

Hoptar said she knew their relationship would come to an end, because Vinci wanted to travel and she wanted to stay put with her children.

Hoptar said she was aware Vinci had previously been involved with Pileggi, and that Pileggi was back with him in Fort Lauderdale.

"They were back and forth. I never asked about her. It was something that was on and off," Hoptar said. "I was not surprised when she was back in the picture."

Pileggi's efforts to cover up her alleged crime began to unravel almost as soon as she set them in motion, according to the arrest affidavit.

About 1 a.m. on June 28, Pileggi called Vinci's handyman, Reynaldo Silva, and told him to rent a truck and bring it to the Coconut Drive home, police say. Then she texted him to say it was no longer necessary.