On March 9, 2019, a suspicious death was reported in the Anthem community of Henderson, Nevada. Henderson Police Department detectives were called to a residence in the 1400 block of Bonner Springs Drive, near Eastern Avenue and Reunion Drive, for a welfare check. Upon arrival, they found the body of a 70-year-old man, later identified by the Clark County coroner as John Capparelli, a resident of Henderson.
The coroner determined that Capparelli died from a gunshot wound to the neck, and his death was ruled a homicide.
John Capparelli had a complex and controversial past. He was a retired math teacher and a former Roman Catholic priest who had been defrocked due to allegations of sexual misconduct. Capparelli's name was included on a list released by New Jersey's five Catholic dioceses of clergy members “credibly accused” of child abuse. He had been barred from teaching in New Jersey public schools after allegations surfaced that he had groped teenage boys in the 1970s and 1980s. Although he never faced a criminal trial, Capparelli agreed to have his teaching certifications revoked as part of settlements with his accusers.
The investigation into Capparelli's murder led Henderson police to identify 25-year-old Derrick Decoste as a suspect. Decoste was linked to the crime through a Craigslist ad placed by Capparelli, which sought 'young and good looking men' willing to participate in wrestling and submission matches. Decoste had responded to this ad and had exchanged numerous text messages and phone calls with Capparelli between February 21 and March 6, the day investigators believe the murder occurred. Detectives found that Decoste owned a gun that matched the bullet casing found at the murder scene, further solidifying the evidence against him.
Decoste was initially in custody in Oakland County, Michigan, for unrelated charges. A warrant for his arrest was issued by Henderson police in June 2019 for the charges of Murder with a Deadly Weapon and Robbery with a Deadly Weapon. He was awaiting extradition to Nevada to face these charges. On January 27, 2020, Decoste was extradited to Nevada and booked into the Clark County Detention Center. He was scheduled to appear in court on February 13, 2020, and was appointed a public defender by the court on January 29, 2020.
The arrest report revealed that Capparelli's wallet, phone, and keys were missing from his home, suggesting a robbery had occurred in addition to the murder. The investigation also uncovered hundreds of homemade DVDs featuring nearly-nude men wrestling, which were presumably filmed by Capparelli inside his home. Despite Decoste's claim that he never entered Capparelli's home, the evidence and communication records between the two men provided strong grounds for the charges against him.
