http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longi ... -headlines
Jewel suspect is nabbed in Atlantic City
BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
February 4, 2005, 3:40 PM EST
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- A man suspected of killing three jewelers during a robbery spree in New York and Connecticut was taken into custody here Friday afternoon.
Police said Christopher DiMeo was arrested without incident when he surrendered at about 3:05 p.m. in a motel on the casino strip after about an hour's negotiations over the phone with an unnamed city police officer.
"He was very calm," said New Jersey State Police Maj. John Hunt.
DiMeo, 23, was unarmed, Hunt said.
The most recent attack was in Fairfield, Conn., on Wednesday, when jewelry store owner Timothy Donnelly and his wife Kimberly Ann Donnelly were killed and robbed of an undetermined amount.
DiMeo is suspected of killing Thomas Renison and stealing about $100,000 worth of jewelry on Dec. 21 in Glen Head, N.Y. He is also suspected of two other robberies, in Westbury on Dec. 5 and in Nanuet on Jan. 26. He allegedly stole nearly $200,000 worth of rings.
The motel on Friday afternoon was surrounded by state police and other authorities before DiMeo surrendered.
"He knew full well we were there," Hunt said.
Police called every room in the motel and told the occupants what was happening and that they should remain in their rooms. Officers then escorted each room's occupants out of the motel, Hunt said.
There's no evidence DiMeo committed any crimes in Atlantic City. He is being held on a parole violation from New York state, but is suspected in four robberies and three homicides, Hunt said.
Fairfield, Conn., Detective Sgt. Gene Palazzolo said he expects DiMeo to be charged with the Connecticut shootings. "DiMeo has been taken into custody without further incident," he said. "We have an individual we consider extremely dangerous and armed now in custody."
Fairfield Police Chief Joseph Sambrook said if the murder weapon is recovered and ballistics match the bullets recovered in the Fairfield shooting, "I'm sure we'll be charging him with these homicides."
DiMeo was to be taken to the Atlantic County Jail in Mays Landing and likely will be arraigned Saturday in state Superior Court, Hunt said.
Motel officials did not know DiMeo was there until authorities told them.
Authorities through investigative leads learned that DiMeo was in Atlantic City as of 10 a.m. Friday. They tracked him to the Ascot Motel on the casino strip. He had arrived on a bus, according to Hunt, who did not know where the bus had originated. Hunt also did not know when DiMeo arrived in Atlantic City.
Last year one of them had a fire and it is currently under renovation. I had said someone left the crack pipe lit.
) and a shooting that had killed a local restaurant worker. I need a cigarette but....
