Phone line cut (this was 2004, when land lines were relevant) Joan was lying in the bed with severe head and facial trauma. "[14] The email concluded: "We may be disappointed with you, but your mother and I still love you and care about your future. [20], Christopher Porco is incarcerated at Clinton Correctional Facility. Fixed: Release in which this issue/RFE has been fixed.The release containing this fix may be available for download as an Early Access Release or a General Availability Release. Think you have an interesting story? [3], An axe belonging to the family, which was used in the attack, was found in the garage. Joan and Peter Porco, who died from his injuries, were found on Nov. 15, 2004, setting in motion an intensive 21-month investigation and the most widely followed murder case on record in this. Although she originally pointed out her son as the attacker, when Joan fully recovered from her injuries, she stood behind her son. Christopher Porco is a greedy and lying little shit. Our local offices are located at 341 Delaware Ave, Delmar, NY 12054. Prosecutors asserted that Christopher Porco disabled the alarm and later cut the phone line to make the invasion of his parents' home appear to be a burglary. Four months later, on July 22, Joan Porco wrote to Christopher again as debt notices for him were received at the Porcos' Delmar home. The assault had broken her jaw, destroyed one of her eyes, and penetrated her skull deeply enough to expose her brain. Rich kid with decent allowance kills super lenient parents for being a little strict or putting up boundaries. By mid-September that year, Joan Porco pleaded with Christopher to give them the telephone number at his dorm room back at the University of Rochester. ", "Christopher Porco, The College Student Who Chopped Up His Parents With An Ax After An Argument About Money", "Porco trial: Prosecutors point to unusual alarm logs", "Timeline, vet's words proved damning to Porco", "Timeline around murder includes text messaging, exit tolls", "EZ-Pass, forged transcripts focus of testimony", "Jurors see video of yellow Jeep leaving campus", "An unfamiliar face in a distant courtroom", "Former neighbor who saw Jeep testifies; prosecution rests", "Jury delivers quick verdict; Porco mom absent", "Christopher Porco gets maximum sentence; Convicted killer speaks for the first time", "Disabled mother of killer Christopher Porco loses pension case", Supreme Court will not hear Christopher Porco's appeal; Bethlehem man convicted of killing his father, assaulting his mother with an axe in '04, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xh5SPILKVi8, "TV Review: 'Romeo Killer: The Chris Porco Story', "Christopher Porco wins minor court victory in TV movie case", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1iSCSRZrW8, Christopher Porco Murder Trial special report at timesunion.com. Investigators found surveillance video of ayellow Jeep that supported their contention that Christopher traveled 232 miles from Rochester to the Porcoshouse the night of the attack, assaultedhis mother and father with an ax, and high-tailed it back to Rochester. At 7.28pm, Cora and Dawson were pronounced dead. TheU.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Christopherscase in 2012. 21-year-old Christopher Porco killed his father, Peter, and badly injured his mother, Joan, on November 15, 2004 in Bethlehem, New York. The prosecution had no forensic evidence, except for a New York Thruway ticket that allegedly carried Christophers mitochondrial DNA. The movie depicted those events along with the trial. In 2006, Christopher Porco of Bethlehem, New York was convicted of murdering his father with a fireman's axe and attempting to murder his mother in the same manner. In the message, Joan and Peter complained to their son, "You just left and (we) can't believe (our) eyes as I look at your interim grade report. Police had theorized that noneighbors heardBarrister bark that night because the killer was someone (presumably Christopher) that the Labrador retrieveralready knew. "[19] "[15], Porco's brother, Johnathan, testified at his trial. Porcos trial ended up in Orange County after an appeals court ruled pretrial publicity in Albany had been intensive, localized, continuing and prejudicial.. Defense Attorney Laurie Shanks questioned Roberts' assessment of Joan Porco because of her poor physical condition at the time due to her injuries from the attack. She answered questions by both the prosecution and defense concerning her memory of the attacks and her relationship with Chris. Joan Porco's alleged identification of her son Christopher may explain why Bethlehem Police pursued her son soon after the incident, rather than conducting a broader investigation of potential suspects. [29], Perri, Frank S. (2011). Where is henow? You can contact us at 518.439.4949. Joan Porco wrote in an e-mail in October 2004 that she was angry with Christopher because he had not returned more than 40 telephone calls from his brother, a Naval officer who was trying to iron out the eBay scandal. Peter, per ABC News, was in a pool of his own blood near the home's entrance. Anyway, after I fell and was knocked out, I woke up and vaguely recall obsessing over whether I should clean up the blood first or pick up the ladder first. Nine of Christophersfraternity brothersrefuted his story that he was asleep in the lounge atRochester, and a neighbor driving by the Porcos house claimed he glimpsedthe Jeep in the driveway on the night of the attacks. In addition, he had been red-flagged by eBay, an Internet auction site, which also flagged his brother Johnathan's account, because they shared the same home address. The segment was expected to air on Thursday, Jan. 12. "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. It was updated on March 28, 2009. 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 . It starred Lolita Davidovich as Joan Porco and Eric McCormack as "Detective Sullivan" presumably a composite character representing police who worked on the case. [4], During the course of their investigation, authorities determined that Porco had a history of anti-social behavior that included burglarizing his parents' home. Porco Trial stories, photos, videos and documents from Spotlight Newspapers coverage. A True Crime Blog of People Behaving Badly. [21] He appealed his conviction to the Appellate Division, Third Department and to the New York Court of Appeals, but both courts rejected his appeals. Finally, I looked around for the latest news on Christopher Porcos efforts to get out of jail via a new trial or overturned conviction. Flights of fancy. Thus, Peter got out of bed and proceeded to start his day. "What are you hiding. Upstairs in the master bedroom, Joan Porco, then 54, a beloved speech therapist in the Schalmont school district, remained motionless in bed. Joan Porco wrote in an e-mail in October 2004 that she was angry with Christopher because he had not returned more than 40 telephone calls from his brother, a Naval officer who was trying to. Joan survived, but continues to have severe facial disfigurement. I avoid that task WITHOUT the excuse of a head injury. In December 2005, Joan Porco, badly disfigured and suffering from brain damage, gave a videotaped deposition, saying she had no memory of the attack and believed her son was innocent. Blood evidence left at the scene showed that, despite having 16 major wounds to his face and head including a Horror History .net Horror History .net She survived, though she lost one eye and parts of her skull, and was left with facial disfigurement. [25], The Porco trial began on June 27, 2006. He had his eye on their$1 million life insurance payout, authorities believe. [5], In late November 2004, outgoing Albany County District Attorney Paul Clyne convened a grand jury to hear testimony implicating Christopher Porco in the murder. A ShowboatingAx Murderer He notedthat there were no lights on Brockley Street, where the Porcos lived, castingsome doubt on aneighbors account of spotting Christophers yellow Jeep in the driveway the night of the ax attack. "I'm concerned with these behaviors," Joan Porco wrote to her son. Christopher Porco, now 39, is pictured here in a prison mugshot taken at state prison in November 2009. The neocortex is especially vulnerable to external injury, according to theHandbook of Affective Sciences(Oxford University Press, 2003). [16] He also lied to fellow students to make it appear that he came from a wealthy family with oceanfront homes. Joan and Peter Porco, who died from his injuries, were found on Nov. 15, 2004, setting in motion an intensive 21-month investigation and the most widely followed murder case on record in this region. [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. On December 12, 2006, Cristopher Porco was sentenced to 50 years to life on each count totaling a minimum of 50 years in prison. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union) Christopher Porco escorts his mother Joan Porco from the Orange County Courthouse in Goshen at lunch during the third day of jury selection on Wednesday June 28, 2006. When he was readmitted the following year, he took out a loan for $31,000 to pay his expenses, forging his father's name as a cosignatory. He suffered blows to the face, jaw, hands, arms, and forearms. [12], Two weeks before his murder, Peter Porco had confronted his son about his dishonesty in an email: "Did you forge my signature as a co-signer? Investigators discovered more-compelling evidence against Christopher Porco. In 2005, Bethlehem Police detectives traveled to San Diego, California, to retrieve a laptop computer that Christopher Porco had stolen from his parents in a break-in on July 21, 2003. [4] He returned to Delmar that evening. 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. Subscribe Subscribe; e-Edition I was surprised to read thatRomeo Killerportrayed Christopher Porco as a charming ladies man with lots of friends. None of thathelped. Both parents wrote emails to Christopher discussing their concerns. The only direct evidence at trial was testimony by government witnesses that Christopher's grievously injured mother, Joan Porco, several hours after the attack, and after police had fully secured the crime scene, and while suffering from untreated and profound wounds to her eyes, face, brain and head, nodded in response to police questions He also lost anappeal in 2014, when an appellate court rejected claims that he was denied effective assistance of appellate counsel. In the case of the Porcos,there was only one bad son, Christopher, a 21-year-old University of Rochester student. They came inside to find 52-year-old Appellate Division court clerk, Peter Porco, in a pile of his own blood, dead from massive head injuries. 15, 2004, when their son Christopher Porco decided to butcher them brutally with a firemans ax while at sleep. From left, Christopher Porco, John Polster, Attorney and close friend to Joan Porco, Joan Porco, and Defense Attorney Terence Kindlon on July 31, 2006, at the courthouse in Goshen. I was always floored hearing this dude loaded a dishwasher after being bludgeoned with an axe. Shanks paused often, asking Joan Porco to describe her state of mind at the time she wrote certain e-mails. The reality is that everybody knows about this case, and the fact is that everybodys been hearing about this case in Albany County for the past 20 months, Kindlon said. In fact, he even got out of bed and went about his morning routine in a macabre daze. She underwent extensive surgery for facial wounds and brain injuries but survived a "miraculous recovery" according to accounts of the trial published in the Times Union, Albany's daily newspaper. TruTV Crime Library Article on the Porco case, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murder_of_Peter_Porco&oldid=1138228108, This page was last edited on 8 February 2023, at 16:59. Bowdish said that when he asked Joan if a family member had committed the crime, Joan used her head to indicate "yes". "[9] Several days later, Christopher replied in a message to his father. By September, the relationship was growing more troubled and she confronted him after learning he'd apparently used a Mobil gasoline credit card she'd given him for emergencies to buy snacks. "Dishonesty is crumbling our relationship with you.". After waking up, he carried out his morning routine before finally dying,[2] as he had written a check for Christopher, made a packed lunch and attempted to load the dishwasher in the kitchen during the time before his death. McDermott asked if she could recall anything about the attack, and about her last memory before waking up in a hospital after she'd spent several days in a coma. Christopher was in severe debt and he later forged documents to secure a loan in his father's name to pay for his tuition and for a yellow jeep. [6], Christopher Bowdish, a Bethlehem Police detective, stated that, as medical personnel attended to Joan Porco at her home, he took a moment to ask her whether she could identify her attacker. . During the early morning hours of Nov. 15, 2004, Peter and Joan Porco were brutally attacked by an ax-wielding intruder in their bedroom. READ MORE: Pick up a copy of tomorrow's Times Union for full coverage of today's Porco trial testimony. Asof this writing, Christopher, 33, isprisoner #O6A6686 at New York states Clinton Correctional Facility, commonly known as Dannemora. 1 suspect. No fingerprints were recovered from the ax (which had previously been stored in the Porco's garage) found at the scene of the crime. Following the fall 2003 semester, University of Rochester officials had forced Christopher Porco to withdraw because of poor grades. He was away at college, and had broken off contact with his family at a time when he was flunking out of school, drowning in debt and becoming exposed for a series of lies he'd told his parents. In 2006, a jury in Goshen walked into an Orange County courtroom and convicted Christopher Porco of murdering his father, Peter, and attempting to kill his mother, Joan, in their Bethlehem home. 2022 Community Media Group, LLC - 341 Delaware Ave. Delmar, NY 12054. On August 10, 2006, Christopher Porco (born July 9, 1983) was convicted of second-degree murder and second-degree attempted murder in connection with the murder of his father, Peter Porco, and the severe wounding and disfigurement of his mother, Joan Porco. The Porco family were from Delmar, NY - Peter Porco was 52 at the time of the murder (he worked as a court clerk) and he lived with his wife Joan, who was a speech pathologist. "You shouldn't cry over spilled milk." The current status is active. Christopher was a bit of a brat child. When I woke up finally from the coma, I did not understand that just because I thought something didnt mean the nurses could hear me. 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"). Her left eye, now a prosthetic, was completely destroyed in the attack and her right eye was so badly injured that she can only read with a large magnifying glass. Joan believed Christopher was 100% innocent. 2010 The Thought & Expression Company, LLC. I think all of that means its possible Peter Porco had a little help from the reasoning part of his mind post-trauma, but the subsectionthat enables people to self-identify as injured and in need of help was destroyed. Police couldnt find any New York State ThruwayE-ZPass data on the yellow Jeep, but toll booth attendantsat the cash-only lanes said they thought they remembered seeing the carwith Christopher in the drivers seat. 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. Eventually, Peter collapsed and died. An axe belonging to family, which was used in the attack, was found in the couple's bedroom. Still, therewere noeyewitnesses placing Christopher directly at the crime scene inside the house. 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. Porco was found guilty on Aug. 10, 2006, of killing his father Peter, an Albany County law clerk, and attacking his mother Joa, in their Bethlehem home on Nov. 14, 2004. Joan Porco survived and, like her son, shes said little publicly about the case. And he neglected to tell his parentsthat the universityhadsuspended him because of poor gradesand he had wasted his $30,000 in tuition money. Joan was lying in the couple's blood-drenched bed with severe head and facial trauma. In November 2004, the unthinkable happened to Peter and Joan Porco. 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. And the plot twist: The mother survived and was in total denial, believing her son was innocent of the charges despite the overwhelming evidence. ALBANY, N.Y. (WRGB) - Friday marks 15 years since the infamous murder of a father and mutilation of a mother in Delmar by Christopher Porco, who attacked his parents with an axe. She accused police of spreading vicious rumors about Christopher and our family, and challenged assertions that she and her husband had a poor relationship with their younger son over finances. The corporate entity was filed on July 31, 2020 in the jurisdiction of Florida. "Don't be a fool," Joan Porco wrote to him on Oct. 20, 2004. The entire time, I was in and out of grand mal seizures and leaving pools of blood all over the place. During the early morning hours of Nov. 15, 2004, Peter and Joan Porco were brutally attacked by an axe-wielding intruder in their bedroom. Joan Porco nodded "yes." The mother suffered brain damage and other major injuries, but has strongly supported her son and attested to his innocence. But prosecutors said outside court they intend to call a telephone company official to the stand to refute the assertion that they had visited the house in September or that the line had been mysteriously cut then. Those who were reported to have testified in the closed-session hearing included Porco's friends from college, a university campus safety officer, and a former girlfriend. As she testified Monday at Christopher's murder trial, Joan Porco said the statement was out of character, but she was angry. During breaks in the trial Monday, and after the jury had cleared from the courtroom, Joan Porco walked over to her son at the defense table. Public Domain Joan and Peter Porco were sleeping in their bed when their son bludgeoned them with an ax. In fact, after Christophers 2005 indictment for second-degree murder and attempted murder, Joan had scraped together $250,000 for his bail. She remains steadfast in the belief her son is innocent. The craziest part is he was at the bathroom sink.