Posted on 12/14/2004 8:00:14 AM PST by RedBloodedAmerican
DELAND -- The accused ringleader of a mass murder that left six Deltona residents dead used as inspiration a movie in which people were killed with pipes, according to a teenager who said he was supposed to take part in the bloody attack.
Investigative reports released by the Sheriff's Office on Monday indicate the plot was hatched two days before the six friends and a dog were found bludgeoned to death in their Telford Lane home, the witness said.
According to the report, Troy Victorino fired a gun at several of the victims days earlier in a car near Telford Lane days because he thought they "robbed" him of his Xbox video game system and other belongings. That gun was supposed to be used for the murders, but the suspects couldn't find enough ammunition, so they rounded up about 15 baseball bats from neighborhood children instead, the witness said.
The teenager's name is not being published at the request of the Sheriff's Office, which said it had concerns about his safety.
Two days after the killings, the witness told deputies Victorino, 28, Robert Anthony Cannon, 18, Michael Salas, 19, Jerone Hunter, 18, and himself had met on Aug. 4 at the house where Victorino was staying on Fort Smith Boulevard.
"Troy stated that he watched a movie where people rushed the house, beat the people with pipes and beat them to death," the witness told deputies. Reports did not state the name of the movie.
Victorino said if he could get enough people, he would kill the Telford Lane residents, according to the report. He described the layout of the Telford Lane home and which bedroom was used by each of the six friends. "Troy then said when you rush in, you got to beat them, and kill them, even the (women) because they talk too much," the witness said.
Investigators say Victorino was angry about a missing Xbox video game system and some clothes one of the victims had taken from a home where he was squatting unlawfully.
Erin Belanger, 22, Francisco Ayo Roman, 30, Michelle Ann Nathan, 19, Anthony Vega, 34, Roberto "Tito" Gonzalez, 28, and Jonathon Gleason, 17, were found at 6:30 a.m. on Aug. 6. Investigators believe the six died sometime around 1 a.m. that day.
The four suspects each face charges of six counts of first-degree murder and eight other felonies. Prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty in the trial scheduled to begin Sept. 26.
It is unknown whether the witness, now 18, will face charges in the conspiracy for entering into an agreement with the suspects. Assistant State Attorney Raul Zambian said, citing office policy, he would not comment on a pending case.
When Victorino asked if the four teenagers would join him in the murders, they all said yes, including the witness, according to the report. " I was afraid if I said no, Troy would kill me," the witness told investigators.
But the witness said he left the meeting and avoided Victorian's calls, saying he was visiting a sick friend in the hospital. He said the attack was planned for 11 p.m. Aug. 5.
Victorino has since denied participating in the killings to a friend on phone calls from the Seminole County Jail. He said he was at Papa Joe's, a former restaurant and bar on Howland Boulevard, the night of the killings.
A manager at the restaurant, now called Belie Amoco, said he heard rumors about two weeks after the killings about Victorino being there that night. Manager Rosary D'Errico said Monday in a telephone interview he did not know if Victorino ever came to the restaurant.
During another phone call from jail, Victorino at first denied knowing the witness who reported the murder plot to police. A girl told Victorino, "He was tellin' us that you even asked him to do it with ya."
"Naw, I didn't ask nobody," Victorino replied. "They made the suggestion. They wanted to do some stupid (expletive) and I told 'em to get outta my house."
And this is news to him?
The death penalty is probably too good for them. And I don't even BELIEVE in the death penalty.
It was the alternate ending from the Director's Cut of "It's A Wonderful Life".
> Reports did not state the name of the movie.
It was one of them durned "Veggietales" flicks, I just know it...
I saw that! I thought it was all in my head, but I guess it wasn't. Thank goodness, cuz I was worried for a little while there...
Yikes. This is only a few blocks from where I used to live.
The movie in question is WONDERLAND, about the decline and fall of porn star John Holmes.
Thanks! According to BoxOfficeMojo.com, Wonderland did slightly over $ 2 million in worldwide box office. Just $1.116 billion behind Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King.
Sumo of the Opera, I think.
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