Galati Disliked Daughter's Beau So He Ordered His Death

Galati murder-for-hire trial under way....
This is taken from several press reports, particularly BigTrial, as noted in the story.

The murder-for-hire trial of Ronald Galati, owner of a South Philadelphia-based auto body shop known for having ties to Philadelphia organized crime (none of which are to be mentioned during the trial) commenced last week.

Galati, 63, is charged with hiring three men last year to whack Andrew Tuono, who was dating Galati's daughter, Tiffany.

Tuono survived gunshots to the stomach, back and hand. He and Tiffany may testify during the expected two-week trial. Tiffany's behaviour during the shooting, as noted in testimony, is odd, we have to say....Rather than call 911, she got into a BMW parked at the crime scene and drove away.



Would-be assassin Ronald Walker, 49, possessed of a detailed criminal record for stuff like drug dealing, assault, and robbery, told the jury, "They said I only hit him three times" although, Ronald admitted, he had in fact fired four shots -- then stopped because the gun was out of bullets.

George Anastasia, at BrigTrial, covered the details:

"Walker said he was hired by Galati and promised $20,000 for the hit. He said Alvin Matthews, a boyhood friend, was with him during the shooting and that another longtime friend, Jerome Johnson, had set the murder up at Galati's request. Both Matthews and Johnson, like Walker, have pleaded guilty to murder-for-hire and conspiracy charges and are cooperating with the government. They are also expected to testify." 
"This is a case about people, family and relationships," Anthony Voci, Galati's defense attorney, told the jury in a comment that hinted at the soap opera like nature of the case. How much the jury hears about Galati's strained relationship with his daughter and the reasons why he allegedly wanted Tuono killed may depend on whether Tiffany Galati is called as a witness. 
What the jury won't hear is testimony about Galati's alleged criminal relationships with Johnson, Walker and Matthews. All three are accused of playing similar roles in another murder-for-hire case pending in Common Pleas Court. In that case, Galati is charged with ordering the murders of two rival auto body shop owners, a father and son, who he suspected were cooperating in an insurance fraud investigation that had targeted him. 
Galati, his wife, his son and a dozen others, including the son of mob boss Joseph "Uncle Joe" Ligambi, are also under indictment in Common Pleas court in a multi-million dollar insurance fraud case. Johnson, Matthews and Walker allegedly damaged cars as part of the fraud scheme. Authorities say Walker and Matthews were also involved in arson at Galati's behest.
But Judge Joseph Rodriguez, based on motions filed by Voci, said none of that information can be used in the current trial because it has nothing to do with the attempted murder of Tuono. 

Tiffany Galati apparently fled the scene in her BMW, ignoring
her wounded, bloodied boyfriends cries to call 911...

Galati, jailed since his arrest in the case, said little as he sat at the defense table next to his lawyer. In his opening statement, Voci told the jury there "was not a shred of physical evidence" tying his client to the case. Voci is expected to argue that there were other reasons why Tuono was targeted, reasons that had nothing to do with Galati. 
The government's case, in fact, is built almost entirely on the word of Walker, Matthews and Johnson. Voci is expected to use his cross-examination to challenge the credibility and motivation of those witnesses and to raise questions about their involvement and Tuono's involvement in the drug underworld. 
Walker and Matthews were arrested within minutes of the shooting and quickly gave up Johnson and Galati to law enforcement. Johnson eventually opted to cooperate as well. All three are expected to tell basically the same story. 
Walker said Galati wanted Tuono dead. 
"He said he had a problem with a guy and he needed it taken care of," Walker said, adding that Galati often talked in riddles and that at one point he told the auto body shop owner, "Say what you mean." 
"He said he wanted me to kill the guy. He wanted him dead...but he didn't want it to come back on him."

The plan was to not dispose of the body. Also, they were told: Do not touch the girl.

On the Saturday following Thanksgiving, Galati called them to give them the mark's whereabouts. Tuono was at his townhouse in Atlantic City.

Johnson dropped them off near Tuono's townhouse that evening. The two waited up an alley for several minutes before Tiffany Galati and Tuono walked out the door.

Matthews called out to Tuono, "Yo, my man. I wanna talk to you."

"About what?" Tuono replied. Walker walked up to the target, pulled a gun and told him, "Don't run."

So, of course, Tuono ran -- and Walker opened fire.

Tiffany Galati showed little emotion during the shooting, it was revealed under cross-examination.

According to Anastasia: "Walker confirmed an earlier statement he had made to police that "She just stood there as if she knew what was going on."

Tuono, lying on the ground, yelled for her to "call 9-1-1, call the police," Walker said. Instead, he told the jury, she got into a BMW that was parked in front of the townhouse and drove away. 
Walker said he and Matthews began to run from the shooting scene, but when they turned a corner they saw a police officer pointing his gun and ordering them to stop. Instead, they kept running. Walker said he tripped and stumbled and that the police officer quickly caught up with him.  
Matthews was arrested within minutes a few blocks away.  
Both men began cooperating almost immediately. Walker admitted that at first he told authorities that Matthews was the shooter, but he said he later changed his story and admitted he was the one who fired the shots. 

Comments

  1. Many times the wannabes are more scarier than the real wiseguys.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You said it!! I wonder about the daughter though. Sounds like she had some prior knowledge based on her reaction, or lack thereof.

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  3. she didn't call 911 ,cold fish . or better yet she knew who did the shooting or ordered it ,,,,

    ReplyDelete

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