Academics: Mobster Claim About Dissolving Corpses Doubtful

By Ed Scarpo
Gambino hit man Charles Carneglia, now
serving life,  found unorthodox uses for
sulfuric acid.
Forensic scientists this month cast doubt on the claim by some Mafia members that they’ve used sulfuric acid to dissolve the corpses of their victims in less than a half hour, according to a story in the Wall Street Journal.

Massimo Grillo, of the University of Palermo, in Italy, told fellow attendees at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences that Mafia testimony about using acid to dissolve corpses in under 20 minutes is difficult to believe, reported ScienceNews. Lab tests using pig carcasses showed that sulfuric acid plus water could dissolve muscle and cartilage within 12 hours. It took an additional two days to turn bone to dust.

Reputed mob hitman Charles Carneglia dissolved a murder victim's body in acid - and tossed the man's finger bones into another gangster's soup as proof, the feds charged during Carneglia's 2009 trial for which he was sentenced to life for killing four people.

"The nightmarish account is described in the government's last-ditch bid to convince Brooklyn Federal Court Judge Jack Weinstein to let cooperating witnesses testify that Carneglia used acid to get rid of bodies for the Gambino crime family," reported an article in the New York Daily News during the trial.

"... Weinstein ordered no mention of the word "acid" because it would unfairly prejudice the jury against Carneglia ..."

It didn't help the aging gangster anyway.

Comments

  1. Bill Jr.Mar 2, 2011, 12:39:00 PM

    Hey, my name is Bill Cutolo Jr. I just came across your website, and like I often do cling to non-fictional books..mostly OC books. I have yet to finish writing my book, and being EXTREMELY thorough before choosing a publisher. However, if you would like to do a personal interview, please drop me a line, or leave a comment and let me know how to contact you..

    my warmest regards,
    Bill Cutolo Jr.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ed ScarpoMar 2, 2011, 1:43:00 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousMar 2, 2011, 5:51:00 PM

    Yah, I have a comment. When is New York going to realize just how much these thugs have ripped off the people of the city and the country, not only in lives lost but in dollars and have the people rise up against these CINO's(Catholics In Name Only)and get their people back, their money back and their God blessed and God given freedoms back. When you write about these guys how about if we begin by writing about their victims and the courage of the DEA and FBI agents and NYPD officers rather than the exploits of these thugs in "jeepers I grew up in a rough neighborhood" clothing! I for one have had it!!! These are people who steal from their neighbors who are in the same if not worse poverty than they began in themselves. I say its about time this country goes after these hoods for good. And to you people in the neighborhoods---quit taking $20 bucks at Christmas after paying thousands in "tribute" money to these thugs. Enough already. Most of this money was probably taken from you the people of the city to begin with! Thieves and thugs. Pray for them don't idolize them!

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousMar 2, 2011, 8:47:00 PM

    Well said

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousMar 2, 2011, 8:49:00 PM

    Carneglia is a good person. Just misunderstood.

    ReplyDelete

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