Cook County, IL — Michael Gargiulo, a convicted serial killer currently on death row in California, appeared in court today in Skokie for the 1993 murder of Tricia Pacaccio, an 18-year-old from Glenview.
Gargiulo, 48, who previously lived in Glenview, faced charges for Pacaccio’s murder over 13 years after he was first charged.
Sheriff Dart commented, The arrest and prosecution of Michael Gargiulo are crucial for justice for Tricia Pacaccio. Although we can’t undo the pain of her loss, we are committed to supporting the Pacaccio family and glad to see progress in this case.
In August 1993, Pacaccio, a recent high school graduate, was found stabbed on the doorstep of her family’s home. Detectives later discovered that Gargiulo was a family friend and neighbor. DNA evidence found under Pacaccio’s nails linked Gargiulo to the crime, but charges were not filed until 2011.
Gargiulo was charged with Pacaccio’s murder in 2011 after his arrest in California in 2008 for a series of violent attacks that resulted in two deaths and one injury. In 2019, he was convicted of those attacks and sentenced to death in 2021.
Gargiulo was extradited to Illinois and had his initial court hearing today at the Skokie Courthouse, where he was ordered held in custody. His next court date is set for September 20.
The public should remember that Gargiulo is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.