10/31/19 STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – During the course of a three-and-a-half-hour interrogation, Anthony Comello told a detective he killed mob boss Francesco (Franky Boy) Cali outside the victim’s Staten Island home seven months ago because Cali threatened to have him killed after Comello hit his SUV on the street, it was revealed in court Wednesday.

Later on, Comello changed his story, saying he had been blackmailed into killing Cali, 53, the Gambino crime family’s top honcho, by “people” who threatened to reveal how he contracted HIV from a stripper.


Comello, 25, also provided a third account, saying he had actually gone to the victim’s house to “spill the beans” and warn him that organized crime had ordered a hit on him.

A videotape of the March 16 interrogation played during a pretrial hearing also showed Comello telling a detective he took HIV medicine, vomiting into a wastebasket, requesting medical attention and complaining about the feds watching over everyone.

Justice William E. Garnett convened the hearing to determine whether Comello’s statements to authorities were made voluntarily and can be used against him at trial.

Robert Gottlieb, Comello’s lawyer, contends the Eltingville resident’s statements should be suppressed due to his physical and mental state at the time of the interview.

“They knew he had HIV and takes medication. They knew it was violent vomiting,” Gottlieb told the court. “The pain is so severe that the questioning is tantamount to keeping him in a coercive environment against his will. It all adds up, not only the physical illness, but the paranoia, that renders the statement involuntary. It is the totality of the circumstances.”


Assistant District Attorney Wanda DeOliveira countered that Comello had been read his Miranda rights against self-incrimination, waived them and spoke to investigators.

She said the defendant continued talking to detectives for about two and a half hours, even after throwing up.

“It’s whether or not his condition … impairs his decision-making,” said DeOliveira, who was joined by Assistant District Attorney Carrie Low. “It seems once he vomits, he appears better. … He’s offered to go to the hospital. It’s almost as if he’s bargaining with the detective … so I submit his mindset is crystal-clear. I ask the court to look at the video in its entirety.”

Only portions of the interview were played during the proceeding.

Garnett said he’ll review the entire tape in chambers.

The judge said he will rule on the defense motion to suppress the statements at the next hearing on Dec. 5 in state Supreme Court, St. George.

Comello did not testify during the three-and-a-half-hour proceeding.

Garbed in a dark blue suit and blue shirt, he is clean-cut, having shorn a bushy beard.


The defendant sat with his left hand cuffed to a chair at the defense table, writing on paper, drumming his fingers and whispering often to Paul Townsend, Gottlieb’s associate.

At the end of the hearing, Comello sought to address the court, but Garnett denied him.

The defendant is facing murder and other charges stemming from Cali’s March 13 slaying and is expected to present an insanity defense at trial.

A trial date has not been set.

DETECTIVE TESTIFIES

Detective Daniel Guariano of the Staten Island Homicide Squad was the only witness to testify.

He said he initially encountered Comello at around 8:45 a.m. on March 16 shortly after the defendant’s arrest in Ocean County, N.J.

Comello was in the back of a police car and was being taken to the Ocean County prosecutor’s office for questioning by Guariano.


The detective said Comello asked him if he watched Fox News, then said he had contracted AIDS after having sex with a stripper while high on cocaine.

Comello also said he was taking medicine for HIV.

Under questioning by Gottlieb, Guariano said he didn’t inquire further about the medicine.

Guariano said Comello was read his Miranda Rights after arriving at the Ocean County prosecutor’s office.

DeOliveira then played a segment of the tape in which Comello admitted to shooting Cali outside the victim’s Hilltop Terrace home.

He said he had parked on the victim’s street because it was dark, and smoked pot. He also said he was high on suboxone.

Comello told the detective he was so high, he backed into Comello’s SUV and knocked off the license plate.

He said the victim came out, he apologized, and Cali became incensed.

“He said, ‘What are you, f------ kidding me? … You don’t know who I am. I could have you killed. You’re lucky I don’t kill you right here and now,’” Comello told Guariano.

Frightened, Comello said he shot Cali.


“I was scared. I was jumpy, I was high. … I just zoned out. … I would never do something malicious like that,” said Comello.

Asked about the gun, a 9 mm, Comello told the detective: “I always had that gun. It’s a just-in-case gun.”

At that point in the interview, Comello said he didn’t know Cali, and the mob didn’t dispatch him to execute the victim.

“I feel horrible about it,'' he said. "I was threatened and I was scared. I’m nobody’s dog. I wasn’t sent there.”

ALTERNATE ACCOUNT

Later in the interview, the defendant provided alternate accounts of the shooting, including saying he was blackmailed into killing Cali.

When the detective asked who, bringing up the name of several mobsters, Comello, responded, “I’m not a rat.”

However, Comello also said he had received a text from mobsters a few days before the slaying telling him to “take care of that other guy.”

In his cross-examination, Gottlieb hammered at Guariano for not inquiring further about the Comello’s HIV medicine and the effect it could have on him.


Gottlieb also contended Comello was seriously ill as evidenced by his vomiting.

In addition, he questioned why the detective didn’t pursue further when Comello initially asked the investigator if he watched Fox News.

The lawyer also suggested Comello’s statements about the all-watching feds and their “Eye in the Sky” was evidence of paranoia.

In court papers, the defense maintains Comello drove to the house to affect a citizen’s arrest on Cali.

He believed the mob boss “held a significant status in a worldwide criminal cabal bent on the destruction of American values and the American way of life,” a defense motions contends.

That alleged criminal conspiracy group is commonly referred to as the “Deep State.”

In the weeks preceding the slaying, Comello had become increasingly vocal about his support of the QAnon group – a right-wing conspiracy-theory organization in which he is believed to have a fundamental role: Protecting President Trump, according to a defense motion.

“Comello’s support for QAnon went beyond mere participation in a radical political organization,” the motion said. “It evolved into a delusional obsession.”


According to the motion, Comello planned to handcuff Cali and deliver him to the military.

Wait, wait, wait... so this kid got HIV or AIDS from a stripper while high on cocaine!? This is a true verified fact?


Or did he "think" he got it from a stripper and go to the hospital and get the "HIV pills"? Unbelievable.

Well, there's a good reason for not letting the guy date your niece. Although I doubt that's a legitimate story at this point. This kid is whacked in the head. Pardon the pun.

I think the police made a test for know if Comello have the HIV in this months,so why dont say that he had or not the HIV? And dont matter how he think he got the disease.

as i said
that's the weirdest hit ever
and it's keeps going lol...
but if it's true what that comello saying
then who could be asking for cali to be dead is it internal or what ?

maybe the reason that his funeral was almost empty it's because the family wanted him dead ?

the guys got aids his lawyers using it in his case. so hes probaly on that rikers island hiv unit if thats still a thing. cant lie about it ,theres doctor records an stuff. no doctor gonna prescribe hiv meds unless your 100 percent positive. its almost a thing of the past the only people i know with hiv is herions guys i went to school with who sharded needles cause they dont give afuck about life. but this kid comes from a nice family. dads has a big construction company so you know he has pull and youll always have a job on staten island then bammm 23 yrs old you get diagnosed with HIV fuck that sucks would make most people go off the deep end......

read the kids a welder. good money in that trade also the cop was asking if he knew mob guys he says its staten island everyones knows the mob lol. makes me think frank cali is probaly the biggest fish on that island atleast top 3 guys. he knew who he was i dont know if i buying any of it. he was smoking weed and just happend to back into his car. its strange

Like in dallas buyers club,everyone can get the aids if you made unprotected sex,the misfortune is that at 23 y and with the care you can receive in prison, I doubt that cComello will get out of prison alive.

Maybe the shot callers doesn't want to be photographed by the FBI.

If it's a hit it has to be internal I don't think Cali was involved in disputes with other families he was close to the Genoveses I think.

Some genovese guy from brooklyn asked a judge for permission to go to his wake. Said it was his best friend. One of the guys indicted with chins son

What a fucking mess. This could have been the hit of the century and all we got is a wacko with aids smh...imagine if he really did get black mailed by some Gambino guys looking to take over Cali’s rackets. That would be some shit but I just don’t see how they would get away with it without getting caught these days.

That would be some shit but I just don’t see how they would get away with it without getting caught these days.

There is the old way aka the lupara bianca,if there is no body,there is no crime,lok to the hoffa case: 40 and over years and nobody sentenced for his murder.

The guys the FBI suspected of the Hoffa disappearance were hounded by the FBI ever since. Tony Pro died in jail, I believe Russell Buffalino did as well. Frank Sheeran died a free man, but spent much of his life behind bars.

Sounds like this guy is either going for an insanity plea, or is actually batshit. Odd that he would just so happen to literally run into this specific guy though.

Provenzano was convicted in the Anthony Castellito murder and sent to prison,Bufalino went out of jail in 1989 after a 10 y sentence (and only because was the bufalino boss) Frank Sheeran made 9 years and was released due the poor health in 1991 and the other detroit mobsters made few or none time in prison and died free and old.

So do you think this was an organised hit using this fucked up kid?

no, but this murder is very ambiguous

I guess anything is possible, but if someone in the Mob used him for this hit, I think they would have clipped him afterwards to keep his mouth shut.

I believe you are correct Furio. But it was Buffalino, Sheeran, and Provenzano that were suspected, rightly or wrongly. Sheeran took responsibility and says Bufalino gave him the order. We will never know for sure.

Its just a mine opinion but I think that Sheeran at the end of his life was in a nursing house maybe was broke and with the hope to let some money to his family,agreed to speak to Brandt for made the book I heard you paint houses.
I read the book years ago but remember that in a capitol the author doesnt understood what Sheeran are saying so I think that he said what the people wanted to hear: Yes I killed Hoffa,Joe Gallo and even was in the team that killed Castellano.
The fact that in the house that he market to the fbi there was spot of blood,for sure maybe someone speaked to him on how Hoffa was whacked.

They also talked about the niece of Cali.

How cops grilled alleged mob-boss killer on possible Mafia ties, rub-outs

https://www.silive.com/news/2019/10...ler-on-possible-mafia-ties-rub-outs.html

Lol reading all that stuff about this Comello guy is giving me a headache. He just appears to be completely batshit crazy, but the question still remains; why of all people Cali?

my theory is that maybe he wanted to date cali himself so he did his move to get his attention and hit his car
then cali refused and got mad about his car
then comello shot him.
tbh that's hit is so weird that i won't be surprised at all if it's true lol

Who knows what was going through Comello's drug addled mind? Maybe Cali was a target just for being a powerful guy. Or maybe Comello really believed his own conspiracy theory bullshit. At least it wasn't a bunch of innocent kids in school or something.

I think something is very fishy with this and more may come out. I wouldnt put it past someone using this guy as a way to take out Cali and not catch the shit storm. Staten Island most Italians know of each other and this guy may have been picked to carry it out because of his drug addiction and crazy shit he had done leading up to this. A dope fiend would kill anyone for the right price and even though his family is well off financial support was cut off awhile ago for him once knowledge of his addiction reached his family.

There is no way the mafia was involved

Frank Calì was a major player he had a huge influence among the Sicilians, but he was known as the invisible boss. Michael Di Leonardo, also revealed how Franky Boy's influence in the New York Cosa Nostra was constantly getting stronger. That he is getting killed by a lone nut is very weird.

Some YouTube reporter i fell apon getting me into this QAnon shit. Its nuts and larpers. I love it. Like the internet made this guy do it but who Was behind the larpers