Its gotta be something in the water down here. This is shocking, as I've watched this guy do local sports for over 20 years.
http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/wwl090706khmarinello.785e7a08.html---
Vince Marinello charged for killing his wife
10:09 PM CDT on Thursday, September 7, 2006
WWLTV.com
WWL Radio broadcaster Vince Marinello has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the killing of his wife last week in Old Metairie, Jefferson Parish Sheriff Harry Lee said during a press conference Thursday afternoon.
Marinello turned himself in to authorities on Thursday.
Lee said detectives believe that Marinello himself committed the killing by staking out a place where he knew his estranged wife would be, donning a mask, shooting her, riding off in a bike that he placed in a car and then driving to Jackson, Mississippi, possibly to set up an alibi.
But deputies said the investigation showed that Vince had been planning a disguise and the murder for more than a month.
“Vince walked into a costume shop and bought a mustache. And in the conversation he said ‘do you need a beard to go with the mustache’ and he said ‘no I don't need a beard. I already have a beard’,” Sheriff Lee said.
Lee said the investigation then turned to a gun store. The manager of that store did not want to reveal his identity but did confirm for Eyewitness News that sometime in July, Vince Marinello came in with an older model .38 caliber pistol, asking if it worked. The manager said they went to a range and tried it out a few times and confirmed it did work. Then he said Marinello purchased a box of special .38 caliber bullets called Nyclads, which are covered with nylon. They are the same bullets deputies said were used to kill Elizabeth Marinello.
That gave investigators probable cause to search Marinello’s Lakeview FEMA trailer late Wednesday night, where Sheriff Lee said they found a sheet of paper that would be a key piece of evidence.
“We were absolutely shocked. It mentioned the bike, the gun and some other things. Almost like a checklist of what he had to do.”
Lee said the list also mentioned the mustache and a reminder to throw the gun away. Although investigators painted a very premeditated picture of what happened, premeditation is not a factor in first degree murder under Louisiana law.
Loyola Law School professor Dane Ciolino called it a classic second degree case.
“For a crime, a killing to be first degree murder, not only must the offender intend to kill, but he also must intend to kill under circumstances where there is some aggravated condition present, like for example: he intends to kill a police officer or he intends to kill a person during the commission of an armed robbery or a rape,” Ciolino said.
Lee also said that Marinello's alibi that he was in Jackson, Mississippi at 6:30 p.m., watching a football game with friends, was undermined when acquaintances said he actually did not show up until about 7:30.
Lee said the timeline would not have allowed Marinello to shoot and kill his wife near 4 p.m. in Metairie and still be in Jackson by 6:30, but that the 7:30 timeline would have been a possibility.
Sheriff Lee acknowledged his personal friendship with Vince Marinello and said that it was hard for him to conceive that he had committed the crime.
Marinello turned himself in to deputies around 3 p.m. Thursday escorted by his lawyer. Bond was set Thursday night at $250,000.
WWL-Radio released the following statement Thursday evening: “The Entercom/WWL family is shocked and saddened by the events of the past week, and by the arrest of Vince Marinello. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Mary Elizabeth Marinello.”
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