Michael Thomas Gargiulo

Serial Killer

Michael Thomas Gargiulo: The "Hollywood Ripper"

Michael Thomas Gargiulo is an American serial killer who became known in the media as the "Hollywood Ripper" and was called the "Boy Next Door Killer" by prosecutors. Born on February 15, 1976, in Illinois, Gargiulo was eventually convicted in California of murdering two women and attempting to murder a third. He was also charged separately in Illinois with the 1993 murder of a teenage neighbor. The crimes associated with Gargiulo stretched across approximately fifteen years and shared several disturbing similarities: the victims were young women who lived near him, the attacks occurred at or inside their homes, and knives were used in sudden, repeated assaults.

Victims, Dates, and Locations

• Tricia Pacaccio August 14, 1993 Unincorporated Glenview, Illinois: Pacaccio was 18 years old and had recently graduated from high school. She was found fatally stabbed on the doorstep of her family's home on the morning of August 14 after returning home late the previous night. Gargiulo, then 17, lived about a block away and was a friend and classmate of one of Pacaccio's brothers. DNA evidence later linked Gargiulo to material recovered from beneath Pacaccio's fingernails. He was charged with her murder in 2011. The Illinois charge is legally separate from his California murder convictions.
• Ashley Ellerin February 21, 2001 Hollywood, Los Angeles, California: Ellerin was a 22-year-old fashion student when she was murdered inside her home on the night of February 21. Her body was discovered the following morning. She had suffered 47 stab wounds, including severe injuries to her neck, chest, back, and other areas. Gargiulo was later convicted of her murder.
• Maria Bruno December 1, 2005 El Monte, California: Bruno was a 32-year-old mother of four who lived in the same apartment complex as Gargiulo. She was attacked while sleeping in her apartment and suffered 17 stab wounds. Her body had also been mutilated. Gargiulo was ultimately convicted of murdering her.
• Michelle Murphy April 28, 2008 Santa Monica, California: Murphy was 26 years old when Gargiulo attacked her inside her apartment. Unlike the other California victims, she survived. Murphy fought back during the assault, and Gargiulo was cut during the struggle. Blood he left at the scene provided investigators with important DNA evidence that helped connect him to the broader series of crimes.

The Murder of Tricia Pacaccio

The earliest homicide attributed to Gargiulo by prosecutors occurred in the Chicago area in 1993. Tricia Pacaccio was an 18-year-old recent high-school graduate living with her family in unincorporated Glenview. During the night of August 13 into the morning of August 14, Pacaccio returned home after spending time with friends. She was attacked near the entrance of her family's house and stabbed multiple times. Her father discovered her body outside the home on the morning of August 14. Gargiulo was familiar to the Pacaccio family rather than a stranger. He lived nearby and was friends with one of Tricia's brothers. Investigators questioned him during the original investigation, but the case remained unresolved for years. A major development came when DNA testing connected Gargiulo to biological material recovered from beneath Pacaccio's fingernails. Prosecutors eventually charged him with her murder on July 7, 2011. Because the Pacaccio prosecution is separate from the California cases, Gargiulo's convictions for the later murders should not be confused with a conviction for Pacaccio's death. ...

Confirmed Victims: (3)

Tricia Pacaccio Age: (18), Date of Death: 1993-08-13

Survivors:

Michelle Murphy Age: (26), Date of Attack: April 28, 2008

Michael Gargiulo - Wikipedia