Cosmo DiNardo (l) and Sean Kratz.
Bucks County authorities have accused Cosmo DiNardo and his cousin, Sean Kratz, of multiple counts of homicide and, for the first time, they are providing chilling details about the deaths of four missing Bucks County men.
In a detail right out of a movie like Fargo, the complaints even horrifically allege that DiNardo, 20, used a “pig roaster” to dispose of one victim’s body. DiNardo then put two other victims into the metal tank too and tried to light them on fire, the charging documents allege. In one instance, DiNardo, 20, is accused of running a screaming victim over with a backhoe after running out of ammo.
You can read the criminal complaints below in full, but, be aware that they contain graphic and disturbing details. Kratz, who was arrested July 13 shortly after DiNardo confessed to the crimes, is charged in three of the murders, and DiNardo is charged in four.
DiNardo, a diagnosed schizophrenic, and his cousin, Kratz, who was out on bail on a burglary accusation and had recently been shot, are accused of scheming to rob three of the men during drug deals but then murdered them. DiNardo is also accused of slaying the fourth man, Jimi Taro Patrick, after he says Patrick met him to buy drugs.
The four men, Patrick, Mark Sturgis, Dean Finocchiaro, and Tom Meo vanished on different days from July 5-7 in Bucks County. They were all between the ages of 19 and 22, and their disappearances sparked a massive search effort. All victims have now been identified, the DA revealed in a July 14 press conference.
“Our boys get to go home to their families, which was always our first priority,” the DA said. You can watch the press conference here.
Here are some of the details in the complaints:
1. Finocchiaro’s Murder Allegedly Started Out as a Robbery & Ended Up With the Body Placed in a Pig Roaster
The documents allege that DiNardo gave Kratz a Smith and Wesson 357 handgun that belongs to his mother. All three drove to 6071 Lower York Rd. “Dinardo said they drove around the property on his ATV and that Kratz was going to rob Finocchiaro in the woods,” the documents allege.
The documents allege that, after the murder, DiNardo “took a blue tarp from the corn crib and wrapped Finocchiaro in it. He tried to drag Finocchiaro out of the barn on the side facing the corn crib. The tarp got stuck on a nail so he had to use the backhoe to remove him from the barn. He placed Finocchiaro into a metal tank he referred to as the pig roaster.”
2. Kratz Allegedly Accused DiNardo Of Lighting Finocchiaro on Fire
The District Attorney has hit Kratz with a string of severe charges, ranking from homicide to abusing a corpse. Pennsylvania court records indicate that Kratz was only charged in three of the murders. One of those was the slaying of Finocchiaro, which is the one death that DiNardo says Kratz directly caused, although Kratz pins the blame on DiNardo.
DiNardo said Kratz was planning to rob Finocchiaro but then “did not rob Finocchiaro in the woods and they went into the barn. As they were leaving the barn, Kratz shot Finocchiaro in the head. DiNardo took the gun from Kratz and also shot Finocchiaro while he was laying face down on the floor, but claimed Finocciaro was already dead when he shot him,” the affidavit alleges.
Bucks County Sheriff’s DepartmentDean Finocchaiaro
Kratz’ version of the Bucks County murder story is also recounted in the charging documents. They allege that Kratz said:
On July 5, he was with DiNardo when they picked up Finocchiaro. Kratz’ account also says he and Dinardo discussed robbing Finocchiaro, the documents allege.
“After they arrived, DiNardo and Finocchiaro went into the barn. Kratz said he heard gun shots from the barn and then DiNardo returned to the truck,” the documents say Kratz told police.
The documents allege that Kratz claimed that DiNardo wrapped Dean in a blue tarp and then “used the backhoe to place him into a metal tank and lit him on fire.”
However, the District Attorney said in a press conference, that although there was an attempt to burn the victims, it was not very successful.
3. DiNardo Is Accused of Trying to Set Up a Drug Deal With Victim Tom Meo
FacebookSturgis’ mother also shared this photo of friends Mark Sturgis and Tom Meo.
DiNardo is accused in the court documents of saying that he also had a “deal” set up with one of the other victims, Tom Meo, the same night that Finocchiaro died. “He was going to sell marijuana. He told Meo to meet him in the stone parking lot next to the church in Peddlers Village,” the court documents say. “DiNardo could not initially find Meo and drove through Peddlers Village trying to find him.” He found Meo in a car with Sturgis, the third victim, and directed him to follow him and park his vehicle. “Meo and Sturgis got into DiNardo’s truck and they drive to 6071 Lower Rd, where Kratz was waiting,” the documents allege
4. DiNardo Is Accused of Shooting Sturgis & Meo & Putting Them in the ‘Metal Tank’ With Gasoline
Instagram/Cosmo DiNardoCosmo DiNardo pictured on his Instagram page.
After the men exited the truck, Dinardo said, “he shot Meo in the back with the .357 handgun, then fired several times at Sturgis as he fled, felling him,” the affidavit states. “Dinardo said he then ran over Meo with the backhoe before using it to lift both bodies into a metal tank where he already had placed Finocchiaro’s corpse, the court records say.”
The following day, Dinardo told police, “he and Kratz returned to the property, where Dinardo used the backhoe to dig a deep hole and bury the tank containing the three bodies,” the affidavit says. Kratz gave a similar statement to detectives on Thursday night, the affidavit says, but said that “it was Dinardo who shot Finocchiaro, not him,” the complaint alleges.
The Kratz complaint further accuses DiNardo of saying of the Meo and Sturgis murders, “When they turn their backs on me, I shot Tom in the back. He collapsed to the ground and was screaming.” Sturgis started to run away.
DiNardo alleged that he started shooting at Sturgis, and Sturgis was struck and fell to the ground, but DiNardo ran out of ammunition and went to the backhoe. “He then drove the backhoe over Meo,” the complaint alleges.
He put them both in the same metal tank as Finocchiaro and poured gasoline into the metal tank, according to the documents, which allege that, on July 8, Kratz and DiNardo returned to the property, and DiNardo allegedly used the backhoe to dig a hole and buried Finocchiaro, Meo and Sturgis in it. DiNardo allegedly gave a revolver and tec 9 to Kratz.
He allegedly told police that DiNardo said he “has two more kids” coming to the property to buy pounds of marijuana and they discussed robbing them.
As to the Sturgis and Meo shootings, Kratz alleged that they were talking about the marijuana sale when “DiNardo used the handgun to shoot Meo in the back and he fell to the ground. He then shot Sturgis. Kratz said Meo was screaming at Dinardo.” He said DiNardo used a 22 caliber rifle “and finishes him off.”
Kratz is accused of saying that DiNardo used the backhoe to load Meo and Sturgis into the metal container that was burning along with leaves. He said that DiNardo “basically crushes him,” referring to Meo and the backhoe. Kratz directed police to a home where two weapons were found, police said in the affidavit.
5. Jimi Patrick Agreed to Meet DiNardo For a Drug Sale but Shorted Him, Documents Allege
FacebookJimi Tar Patrick.
As for the fourth victim, Patrick, the complaint alleges that, on July 5, DiNardo said he agreed to sell Jimi Patrick four pounds of marijuana for $8,000. He picked Patrick up at his home in Newtown and drove him to a rural property.
“When they arrived, DiNardo said Patrick only had $800. DiNardo told Patrick he could sell him a shotgun for $800. DiNardo took Patrick to a remove part of the property and gave him a shotgun. DiNardo then shot and killed Patrick with a .22 caliber rifle.”
DiNardo drove a backhoe to where he had killed Patrick and dug a hole and buried him, the documents allege.
You can read more about Sean Kratz here:
Read more about Cosmo DiNardo:
