Hollywood Ripper" Extradited to Illinois for 1993 Teen Murder

Michael Gargiulo, known as the "Hollywood Ripper" and sentenced to death for two California murders, has been charged in the 1993 killing of Tricia Pacaccio in Illinois. Investigators linked Gargiulo to the crime through DNA after he left for California and committed subsequent murders.

Michael Gargiulo, the notorious serial killer dubbed the "Hollywood Ripper" and the "Boy Next Door Killer," has been extradited to Illinois to face charges in the brutal murder of an 18-year-old woman in 1993.

Hollywood Ripper" Extradited to Illinois for 1993 Teen Murder

Gargiulo, 48, has already been sentenced to death for the killings of two women in Southern California in 2001 and 2005. The Illinois charges stem from the murder of Tricia Pacaccio, whose lifeless body was found outside her Fairview, Illinois, home in August 1993.

Investigators initially suspected Gargiulo, who knew Pacaccio's brother, but could not establish his connection to the crime until advances in DNA analysis linked him to the murder in 2011. While in California, Gargiulo allegedly murdered Ashley Ellerin, 22, in 2001 and Maria Bruno, 32, in 2005, a particularly gruesome crime in which Bruno's breasts were severed during the attack.

Hollywood Ripper" Extradited to Illinois for 1993 Teen Murder

According to Ethan Holland, an assistant Cook County State's Attorney, several witnesses emerged after Gargiulo's California convictions, claiming knowledge of his confession to Pacaccio's murder. One witness allegedly accompanied Gargiulo in disposing of knives he possessed, and another recounted Gargiulo admitting to "leaving the b---- on step for dead."

In 2008, Gargiulo is also accused of attempting to murder another woman in the Los Angeles area. Actor Ashton Kutcher testified at Gargiulo's trial for Ellerin's murder, recalling that he was scheduled to meet Ellerin for a date on the night she was killed. Upon arriving at her home, he found her stabbed 47 times.

Hollywood Ripper" Extradited to Illinois for 1993 Teen Murder

Gargiulo has denied involvement in Pacaccio's murder, but DNA evidence and witness testimony have strengthened the prosecution's case against him. He is being held without bond and will appear in court again on September 20.

The extradition of Gargiulo to Illinois highlights the long reach of justice and the enduring impact of unsolved crimes. It is a reminder that even the most elusive criminals can be brought to account for their actions, bringing closure to victims' families and communities scarred by their heinous acts.

Hollywood Ripper" Extradited to Illinois for 1993 Teen Murder