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In Delmar, New York, a suburb just outside the city of Albany, lived Peter Porco and his wife, Joan Porco. On November 15th, 2004, Peter Porco didn’t show up to work at the Supreme Court in Albany, New York like he did every morning. The court officer that works with Peter at the courthouse decided that it would be a good idea just to go over to Peter’s house and check on him, because it was so out of character for Peter.
Photo Source: Times Union(website)
The New York State Court Officer, Michael Hart, arrived at Peter Porco’s home located at 36 Brockley Drive in the city of Delmar at 11:35 am. The officer knows that something terrible has happened, but he has to know exactly what he is dealing with here. Once inside the Porco’s residence, he encounters a blood bath. He takes another step inside and right there, on his right side, he sees 52-year old Peter Porco’s lifeless body. The court officer immediately calls for backup and paramedics.
Backup officers and paramedics arrive at the home and make their way upstairs and into the master bedroom. This is where first responders encounter Peter’s wife, Joan, who is clinging to life.
Photo Source: Thought Catalog (website)
Right there next to Joan Porco, laid a 3-foot axe.
Photo Source: Thought Catalog (website)
Before Joan Porco was rushed to the hospital, investigators ask if she knew who did this to her. And when police asked if their son, Christopher, did this, she shook her head up and down “yes”.
The Albany County medical examiner performed an autopsy on Peter to get a better idea of what exactly happened in the house that fateful morning. The medical examiner counted 16 wounds to Peter’s head…wounds consistent with an axe.
Immediately after discovering Peter and Joan, the police began their investigation to find out who could have done this to the couple. And the police find out that Peter and Joan have 2 sons: Christopher and Johnathon. Police quickly ruled out Jonathon as a potential suspect in the case because he was serving in the military, and had an alibi that placed him many miles away from his parents’ home.
Photo Source: Thought Catalog (website)
So, once Jonathon is ruled out as potential suspect, police quickly shift their attention to his brother, Christopher.
It turns out that Christopher Porco wasn’t exactly the world’s greatest son. He had a history of stealing money from his parents, and opening up lines of credit without their knowledge. He even purchased a bright yellow Jeep Wrangler with a forged signature. In total, he took out about $31,000 in order to pay for all his expenses, including the fancy new Jeep.
Photo Source: Spotlight News (website)
Christopher had even faked 2 burglaries at his parent’s house, and sold the stolen items (computers, laptops) on eBay.
Police decide to question Christopher about his whereabouts the night of the murder. He told police that he was at school the entire night.
But the police got their hands-on surveillance video that showed Christopher leaving school in his yellow Jeep Wrangler. Police examined the route Christopher would have taken from his school to his parent’s house, if he in fact, he went there the night of the murder. The route requires passing through 2 toll stations.
Police contact the toll stations and collect the toll tickets that were passed out. The sent the tickets off to the crime lab in hops it would reveal valuable forensic evidence.
The results came back, and the crime lab was able to obtain a full DNA profile of Christopher Porco on one of the toll tickets, proving that he crossed the toll heading to his parent’s house that night.
Police also knew that the Porco’s had an alarm system that was disarmed the night of the attack with the master code. The phone lines had also been cut. The only person outside of Peter and Joan that would have known the alarm code was their son, Christopher.
Christopher Porco was arrested for the murder of his father, Peter, and attempted murder of his mother, Joan.
Photo Source: Thought Catalog (website)
Although she originally pointed out her son as the attacker, when Joan fully recovered from her injuries, she stood behind her son. Joan believed Christopher was 100% innocent.
Photo Source: Times Union (website)
The amount of forensic and circumstantial evidence was over whelming. Christopher Porco was found guilty of murdering his father and attempting to murder his mother.
He was sentenced to 50 years to life.
Photo Source: Times Union (website)
Episode Sources:
Times Union website
Christopher Porco wiki
Thought Catalog website
Spotlight news website
Forensic Files “Family Ties” episode
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