Ross Melici confesses to 1992 New Jersey, New York murders after double murder arrest in Florida
A murder suspect in Florida has confessed to killing before during the interrogation for the murder of Barbara and Phillip Russo, stabbed in their Deerfield Beach condo back in November.
Rosario Melici, who goes by Ross, confessed to killing a New Jersey woman in January 1992. Doris McGarry was suffocated in her condo. He partnered with Christopher Lavary, the woman’s husband to murder McGarry for estate inheritance – hired by one of the other heirs.
Two years after McGarry’s slaying, Melici lured Lavary into the woods in Staten Island, where he shot him in the head, Melici told the detective.
This time Melici said Lavary’s wife asked for his help; she wanted her 51-year-old husband dead to collect on an insurance policy, Melici said.
Melici, age 60, is being held on two counts of premeditated murder in the Russos’ deaths.
Joel Bewley, a spokesman for the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office in New Jersey, acknowledged last week McGarry’s homicide remained an active investigation.
“The only thing I can say about the Doris McGarry homicide is that it’s still an open case and it is still being investigated,” he said. “I’m unable to give you the names of any potential suspects or confirm whether or not Rosario [Melici] that you mentioned is a suspect in that.
“Our position is we don’t discuss a case until an arrest is made,” Bewley said.
Lt. Joseph Friel, of Evesham Township Police, also did not provide details about the 1992 murder but said the McGarry homicide is no longer a cold case.
Investigators are checking whether a man’s DNA that was found beneath McGarry’s fingernails decades ago points to Melici and corroborates his story, the warrant said.
Melici spent 20 months in prison for the Lavary murder before charges were dropped.
