After more than a decade in jail, alleged serial killer Michael Thomas Gargiulo, 43, goes on trial today in Los Angeles. Prosecutors described him as a serial, psychosexual, thrill killer.
Gargiulo stands accused of brutally and fatally stabbing to death three women, attempting to kill a fourth and, it’s alleged he may be responsible for the slayings of as many as 10 women.
Gargiulo is dubbed the ‘Hollywood Ripper.’
In court Thursday, prosecutors laid bare a grisly and horrific detail not previously released; he allegedly cut off the breasts of one victim.
Gargiulo is alleged to have murdered actor Ashton Kutcher’s former girlfriend in 2001. It’s being reported Kutcher will testify.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. A Glenview, Illinois Native, When He Was 18, Gargiulo Allegedly Stabbed to Death 18-Year-Old Tricia Pacaccio
Gargiulo was born in Illinois in 1976. Six months before his 18th birthday, in August of 1993, his neighbor 18-year-old Tricia Pacaccio was found stabbed to death on her back-door stoop. She’d been stabbed nearly 50 times. Her father found her body. Gargiulo was a suspect, but police could not find enough evidence to charge him.
Five years after Pacaccio’s murder, Gargiulo fled to Los Angeles in 1998.
It was reported that he left for California to avoid police scrutiny in Pacaccio’s murder. And after landing in Southern California, Gargiulo would allegedly kill a young woman in 2001, and again in 2005. In 2007, he would try to kill another woman, but she fought for her life.
It was not until 2008 that he’d be arrested. And he would not escape justice in the slaying of Pacaccio; he was charged in her brutal murder in 2011.
2. Gargiulo’s Alleged Slaying of Ashley Ellerin, Ashton Kutcher’s Then-Girlfriend, Was a Horrific Murder
On February 21, 2001, he is alleged to have brutally stabbed Ashley Ellerin 47 times, the same amount of stab wounds as Pacaccio.
Ellerin was left to bleed to death in her Hollywood home after suffering numerous deep and horrific stab wounds all over her body, neck and head.
The design student was involved romantically at the time with actor Ashton Kutcher. It was reported the two had a date to attend an award party that night.
#AshtonKutcher on witness list. But today crews set up for opening statements. Prosecutor may go 2 hours?? Defense this afternoon. Alleged serial slasher Michael Gargiulo on trial. One of his victims was ex-girlfriend of Kutcher.@ABC7Courts
It’s being reported Kutcher is on the witness list.
3. Gargiulo is Alleged to Have Murdered Neighbor Maria Bruno in 2005 & His Attempt to Kill Another Neighbor, Michelle Murphy. Led to His Arrest
#HollywoodRipper – Pros opening. In 2005 #MichaelGargiulo lived near 32 year old Maria Bruno. He stabbed her multiple times, he cut off her breasts, attempted to remove her implants and stuffed one of her breasts in her mouth.
Gargiulo is also alleged to have slaughtered another neighbor, Maria Bruno, at her El Monte, California, apartment on Dec. 1, 2005. She was stabbed 17 times.
Three years later, in April 2008, his Santa Monica neighbor Michelle Murphy fought off his attack. DNA and blood found at that crime scene were matched to Gargiulo.
Gargiulo staked out women, prowling and stalking their homes. He largely struck at night.
Finally, he was stopped when Santa Monica Police arrested him in June of 2008.
4. Three Years After His Arrest, Gargiulo Was Charged With the 1993 Murder of Pacaccio
#MichaelGargiulo – Pros opening: “Friday the 13th of August, 1993, Tricia Pacaccio had just graduated from high school. The evening ended with hugs and kisses with her friends.” #hollywoodripper
Three years later, he was charged by the Cook County (Illinois) State’s Attorney with the first degree murder of Tricia Pacaccio.
Why had he not been charged previously given his DNA was found inside the Pacaccio house? In a sweeping Chicago Magazine report of the case in 2011, it was reported that since he knew the family, was a neighbor and was friends with Tricias younger brother Doug, and had been in heir home, “There wasn’t enough evidence, insisted prosecutors from the office of the Cook County state’s attorney. Because Gargiulo had occasionally been in the Pacaccio house, it’s possible that the DNA could have wound up on Tricia’s fingernails through casual contact, they said.”
Michael Gargiulo has been charged with the murders of Maria and Ashley Ellerin and the attempted murder of another woman who survived an attack. He was charged in the murder of Tricia Pacaccio on July 7, 2011.
On July 6, 2011, more than 18 years after Pacaccio was savagely slain, he was charged.
5. Gargiulo is Facing the Death Penalty For the 2 California Murders & the Attempted Murder Charge. After the Trail. He’ll Be Extradited to Illinois to Face Trial There For the Killing of Pacaccio
Prosecutors say Michael Gargiulo would watch, shadow, stalk, and hunt down his victims relentlessly. Three of the women died. One survived. @KNX1070
Although Gargiulo is charged in the two California murders as well as the Pacaccio murder in Chicago.
Prosecutors have called Michael Gargiulo a “serial sexual-thrill killer” who derived pleasure from slaughtering beautiful women. They will seek the death penalty in a trial that’s set to start this week.
Though it’s likely he’s killed other women, police have not definitively linked to any other murders. Gargiulo allegedly told investigators that “just because 10 women were killed — and his DNA was present — doesn’t mean he murdered anyone, leading investigators to believe that there are more victims,” it was reported.
Warning!! Grisly murders described. DA just said accused serial slasher Michael Gargiulo cut off breasts of one victim.
It’s anticipated that the trial may last up to six months.