In the winter of 1884, a railroad worker named Antonio de Balbo, a man of unknown age, offered lodging to a fellow laborer in rural Cecil County, Maryland. This act of kindness would tragically lead to his own death. His boarder was a man who went by many names, including Frank Rosso and Michael Ross, but whose real name was Antonio Nardello. Nardello, an Italian immigrant with a dark past, repaid his host's generosity with violence, ending de Balbo's life for personal gain.
The date of
the murder was December 19, 1884. On that day, Nardello, aware that de Balbo was carrying a sum of cash, invited him to go for a walk. As they walked, Nardello waited for a moment when his companion was distracted. He then pulled out a gun and shot Antonio de Balbo, killing him. After the murder, Nardello stole de Balbo's money and his watch, which he later sold in Baltimore. He concealed his victim's body in some bushes, where it would lie undiscovered for months.
It wasn't until May 19, 1885, that de Balbo's remains were found. A laborer named Charles Bushel was searching for a stray cow near his homestead when he came across the grim discovery on a hill. The body was partially covered with leaves and hidden in a bush. The advanced state of decomposition and a crushed skull pointed to a murder that had occurred long before. The discovery, however, did not immediately lead investigators to the killer.
Nardello, meanwhile, had continued his violent spree. He was ultimately apprehended on July 29, 1885, in connection with the murder of another Italian laborer, Carmine Rotunno, in Washington, D.C. Authorities tracked him to a house on Maryland Avenue where he was staying with a woman under the alias Frank Rosso. They were arrested at the Baltimore and Potomac Depot as they prepared to board a train to Baltimore. A search of their room revealed bloodied clothing belonging to Nardello.
During his trial for the murder of Rotunno, Nardello, who did not speak English well, was provided with an interpreter. Despite his attorneys' efforts, he was found guilty on December 12, 1885, and sentenced to death. Initially appearing unfazed by the verdict, he reportedly wept on his way back to jail. A subsequent motion for a new trial based on a letter claiming to have new evidence was ultimately denied.
It was only on the day of his execution, May 28, 1886, that the full truth of Antonio de Balbo's fate came to light. In a final confession, Antonio Nardello admitted to killing his former landlord. He recounted how he had boarded at de Balbo's home, knew he had money, and lured him on a walk with the intent to rob and kill him. This confession also exonerated a man who had been wrongly convicted of another murder Nardello had committed in April 1884. Nardello was executed by hanging for his crimes, bringing a close to his deadly rampage that claimed at least three lives.
