Hadley-Luzerne's Chilling Link to the 'Hollywood Ripper' Case

A Shocking Discovery in the Heart of Lake Luzerne

Imagine flipping through the channels, settling on an episode of 48 Hours, and suddenly seeing the face of your former roommate—now accused of being a notorious serial killer. That’s exactly what happened to Temer Leary, a Lake Luzerne resident, who was floored when he recognized the suspect as none other than Michael Gargiulo—a man he once shared a roof with.

Leary wasn’t alone in this eerie revelation. His old friend, Anthony Dilorenzo, formerly of Glens Falls, shared the same memories of their bizarre former roommate.

They had always shrugged off Gargiulo’s sinister stories—tales of murders, spoken like ghost stories over beers. But when authorities charged him with multiple murders across Los Angeles and tied him to a case in Illinois, it hit them: those weren’t just stories.

The Hollywood Connection: From Small-Town New York to the Shadows of LA

Back in the 1990s, Leary and Dilorenzo made their way to Hollywood in search of excitement. They became bouncers at the legendary Rainbow Room, rubbing shoulders with celebrities and nightlife figures. That’s where they met Michael Gargiulo—an aspiring boxer with a dark edge.

The three became roommates, but something always felt off about Gargiulo.

One day, mid-conversation, Gargiulo casually bragged about killing a young woman. They laughed it off, assuming it was part of his tough-guy act. But after his arrest years later, the realization dawned: they had lived with a monster.

Breaking the Silence: A Call That Changed Everything

Leary couldn’t shake the unsettling memories. Watching 48 Hours brought everything back in vivid detail. Unable to ignore the past any longer, he left a comment on the show’s website, revealing what Gargiulo had once told him.

Mere hours later, Cook County detectives reached out. By the next day, Leary and Dilorenzo were on separate flights to Chicago, ready to share what they knew about their former roommate’s twisted confessions.

When detectives heard their accounts, they were stunned. “We never believed him,” Leary admitted, “but it turned out everything he said was true.”

The Evidence Mounts: Connecting Gargiulo to the Past

Gargiulo had long been suspected in the 1993 murder of Tricia Pacaccio, his teenage neighbor in Illinois. But for years, the case remained unsolved.

Then came a breakthrough: DNA under Pacaccio’s fingernails matched Gargiulo’s. Authorities finally had hard evidence linking him to the crime.

Dubbed the "Hollywood Ripper", Gargiulo faced charges for a series of brutal stabbings. Leary and Dilorenzo’s testimonies only strengthened the case, adding yet another chilling layer to the already horrifying saga.

A Twisted Past: From Infamy to Redemption?

Leary is no stranger to the justice system himself. With a past riddled with legal troubles, including a 2006 junkyard shootout in Queensbury, he spent time in state prison. But he insists he’s left that life behind.

Today, he’s on parole until 2015, working full-time in Washington County, determined to live a law-abiding life with his family.

“I’ve straightened my life out,” he said.

As for Dilorenzo? He’s currently out of the country and unavailable for comment.

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