Murder My Love (19 page)

Epilogue

The notoriety of murders did not leave West Warwick unscathed, nor leave the people who were caught up in the mayhem. The scars seemed more visible in the small town. Some subsequent events were predictable; others were a surprise.

Rita Quigley was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, and was remanded to a state penitentiary to live out the rest of her days. While in prison, her greatest achievement was to earn her high school diploma. A ceremony was held on the occasion of her graduation. She went on to take courses in Nutrition that allowed her to work in the prison’s kitchen. She established enduring friendships with several of the inmates. With therapy and counseling, she had gained insight into the origin of her rage. She expressed remorse.

Conrad Zimmer was sentenced to twenty-five years in prison without the possibility of parole. His attorney successfully employed the Extreme Emotional Distress argument, saving his client from his accomplice’s fate. Conrad adapted easily to prison life. He exercised on a regular basis and maintained himself in excellent physical shape. Conrad took advanced courses and earned a certificate in laboratory procedures. He has skills and an opportunity for gainful employment. He looks forward to the day he can once again join society.

Rita’s daughter was never charged for aiding and abetting two felony murders.

Mayor Gallarino was re-elected in a landslide. He had laid claim to having recruited Police Chief Abigail Wilson. His platform was built on praising her dogged pursuit and capture of the villains, which reflected on his good judgment. Whether the citizens bought into that claim was uncertain, but they, nevertheless, granted him a second term.

Dean Martin Judson lobbied the Board of Trustees for reappointment, claiming that it was he who recruited Dr. Sylvia Weisbrow to West Warwick College. He claimed that it was her testimony that sealed the fate of both criminals. The press favored her in countless publications, which enhanced the prestige of the college. One month after both felons were sentenced, and Gallarino announced he was running for reelection, Judson paid him a visit.

“I suppose you want my endorsement again.”

“I’m not sure I’ll need it, Martin.”

“It’s just as well, Guido. The media has had its day. They’ll move on to the next atrocity. We don’t want them questioning my motives, should I say anything about you publicly.”

“Amen to that. You can bask in your own sunshine and I’ll bask in mine. We don’t ever have to talk real estate ever again.”

Giuseppi Barollo could not sell his home. The knowledge of what happened in it deterred every prospective buyer. He had no alternative but to demolish the house and erect a two-family structure. It sold within a month of receiving a Certificate of Occupancy.

Chief Wilson was recruited by several Mayors, some from large cities both in Connecticut and elsewhere. She declined their invitations. Her husband, Sam, had established a brokerage and was doing well financially. He urged her to remain in West Warwick. Her children were thriving in high school. She was reluctant to disrupt their social order. Abby remained Chief until she retired. Never once did she lament that she could have gone further in her career. Solving two grotesque murders was enough satisfaction to last a lifetime. Instead, she gave up tennis and jogging to join the Plymouth Golf Club where she routinely walked the hilly course.

Steven Huff retired from the police force. As he had promised throughout his life, he rented a small apartment near Clearwater, Florida and went fishing. His wife, Karen, took up the sport. It was a defensive maneuver. Had she not done so, she may never have seen her husband again. As time went on, she became adept at fishing and rivaled him in sportsmanship. Between the absence of O’Neill’s breakfasts, and the exercise of manning a boat, Huff lost 30 pounds. His only on-going lament was that he had to renew his wardrobe.

Lt. Jeff Stanton declared that he would retire on the twenty-fifth anniversary of his becoming a cop. As the date approached, Abby called him into her office and asked, “What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know, but I don’t want to do this anymore.”

“Did you learn anything here?”

“A lot.”

Stanton told her that meeting Chicciarelli changed his life. It motivated him to track down his former wife.

“How did you do that?” Abby asked.

“Chief, I’m a cop. Leave it at that.” He went on to say that she was living with a woman in another state, was content with her life, and was happy that he called her.

“I wished her well, Abby. I never thought I could do that.”

“It took you a long time to grow up.”

“So, let me answer your question a better way. The Greenwell, Chicciarelli, Mazelli triangle taught me not to look at their lifestyles, but at my own. I realize now that my ex and I can be friends without being partners.”

“Any thoughts on Quigley?”

“Weisbrow said it all. She was a sociopath. It had nothing to do with her sexuality.”

Abby gave him a hug and told him he was a better man for having called his ex. Stanton never remarried.

Alice Chicciarelli moved away from West Warwick. She departed quickly and quietly soon after the trials, as her name was not on the lease. She befriended Anita Mazelli during the trials, but they did not live together. For several years, she sent Jeff Stanton a Christmas card, but they abruptly ended. Her whereabouts are unknown.

Detective Sergeant Bruce Devlin was promoted to Lieutenant. His life changed not at all. He remained a dogged, good cop with an impeccable reputation. He was a rare bird in a flock with many skeletons it their closets.

Within three years of the incident, Gail Kurtz had passed her exams, gained enough seniority, and was promoted to Sergeant. She became a life-long friend to Jeff Stanton.

Dr. Otto Kruger retired, and with his wife, moved to The Villages in Florida.

DA Greg Rocklein was elected to the Superior Court, served two terms and retired.

Joseph Brady and Zelman Cohen continued to practice law. Their practices thrived owing to the favorable publicity they received at the trials. Everyone believed they had performed their duties admirably and professionally. No one thought that anything but a conviction would be handed down, but the way they conducted themselves enhanced their reputations.

Dr. Sylvia Weisbrow basked in the spotlight of fame. Many articles in Sunday supplements were written about her life, her courage, and her intellectual independence. Once the excitement passed, she faded into the shadows of being a well-respected college professor. In time, no one remembered that she was instrumental in putting in prison two of the most notorious criminals in West Warwick history.

West Warwick survived. Like in most small towns that suffer a scandal, memory grows dim with time. As the years passed by, details blurred, and people’s recollection of the murders blended with newer tragedies, causing memories of the incident to fade, as if it had never happened.

Acknowledgements

While an individual is the author of most novels, there are many others who contribute to the endeavor. I wish to thank Judge Charles Kuffner for his legal analysis, Dr. Thomas Mallouk for his psychological insights, Rose Tomitz for her dedicated editing and proof-reading, Antonina Mckay who introduced me to the principals, and to my son, Michael, whose perspective and advice are deeply appreciated.

About the Author.

Victor Keyloun was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1935. His parents were both immigrants from Aleppo, Syria, and his father was a prominent player in the New York garment industry. The youngest of six children, Victor chose not to follow his siblings into the family business, and instead attended the College of the Holy Cross and later Georgetown Medical School. He served two years in the United States Navy before completing his post-doctoral training at St. Vincent’s Hospital and starting private practice in Greenwich Village, New York. After twenty years in practice, Dr. Keyloun switched careers, helming a highly successful consulting firm that specialized in creating computer-based sales training material and medical education for pharmaceutical companies around the world.

Dr. Keyloun is the co-author of The Coronary Care Unit, a detailed history of the opening of the first coronary unit of its kind in New York City. His memoir, A House by the Park, is an unflinching account of growing up in a large, loving family ravaged by bipolar disorder. In addition to his two other books, Dr. Good Has Gone and Murder, Madness, & St. Vincent’s, Dr. Keyloun has written and produced four plays, and is currently working on his first screenplay.

He lives with his wife, Carol, in the suburbs of New York City.

Murder My Love. Copyright © 2015 by Victor Keyloun.

While based on true events, this book is a work of fiction. Names have been changed to protect individuals' privacy as well as the privacy of their surviving family members.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

For information, email [email protected].

ISBN: 0996587217
ISBN-13: 978-0-9965872-1-1