It’s like a Christmas miracle.
Three of the suspects wanted in the September 9 shooting death of Gerardo “Jerry” Antoniello in his Ozone Park home are currently in custody.
According to brother Carmine, homicide detectives and Deputy Inspector Joseph G. Courtesis, Commanding Officer of the 106th Precinct, sat down with the family, and, as of Wednesday evening, December 23, the NYPD was still questioning the perps as to how many others were involved.
“There were more than just three,” Carmine told The Courier. “I want them caught; I definitely want them off the streets.”
Reports say that one of the suspects, a 37-year-old Brooklyn man, admitted to being outside the Antoniello home the night of the murder; the three were nabbed by DNA evidence from an earlier home invasion involving another Antoniello family member.
“That is excellent news, God’s gift so to speak! I am sure your brother is smiling down from Heaven upon your family, stay strong and God bless,” wrote someone on the “Justice for Jerry” Facebook page.
Another wrote, “May God continue to bless and comfort you all through this time of the year. You all are not alone, there is a whole community praying for you all. Remember God is not asleep and the ones who did this to your son/brother will have their day in court.”
Jerry, 29, was killed trying to protect his family during a push-in robbery at their home on 95th Street and North Conduit Avenue in Ozone Park.
Reportedly, a woman working with the two male suspects had attempted to gain entry into the home by asking for directions, but Gerardo and his mother, Gaetana, 58, refused to open the door.
When dad Romeo Antoniello arrived at the home, the two masked men tried to rob him of the cash he had allegedly been carrying after closing the family’s pizzeria, Romeo’s on Cross Bay Boulevard, for the night.
After hitting the older, ailing man in the head, the perpetrators then proceeded to push their way into the residence, cops said, where Gerardo, who had just celebrated a birthday in late August, tried to defend his home and family. One round was fired, hitting Gerardo in the head. He was taken to Jamaica Hospital in critical condition, where he died early Thursday morning, September 10.
Since the tragedy, the family successfully organized a “Justice for Jerry” vigil, which drew hundreds of supporters in the pouring rain, and P.S./I.S. 127 in East Elmhurst, where Jerry was a beloved building manager, dedicated its winter concert to his memory.
“[My parents] were happy the guys were caught,” said Carmine. “It still doesn’t bring back Jerry, but it definitely gives us some sort of justice.”
“I would like to thank everyone for all their support during this tragic time,” wrote brother Angelo in a Facebook letter. “I would also like to thank and appreciate everything the NYPD has done to help solve this case and ask everyone to please say a prayer and show respect to these great men and women that put there lives on the line for us every day.”
