Details remained sketchy in the wake of what law enforcement agencies characterized as a murder-suicide on Hillside Ave. in Nutley last week. A joint release issued Jan. 15 by Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray and Nutley Police Chief Thomas Strumolo said that the Nutley PD and Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force were investigating the incident.
The initial release said that a man and a woman were found dead of apparent gunshot wounds in the 300 block of Hillside Ave.
Subsequently, Murray identified the victims as Christina Prestianni, 37, and her boyfriend Christopher Minichini, 38, both of that Hillside Ave. address. “Both were found dead in their home,” the release said.
“The two of them suffered fatal gunshot wounds. The preliminary investigation indicates Mr. Minichini shot his girlfriend and then turned the gun on himself. The investigators are awaiting the autopsy results.”
According to Murray, Minichini served as a state corrections officer for the past seven years.
A report published in patch. com said that family and friends of Prestianni are seeking donations for the cost of her funeral which was scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 20, from 4 to 8 p.m., at the Zarro Funeral Home, Bloomfield.
Prestianni was an owner of Pupcake Dog Grooming & Bakery in Caldwell. Tributes to her were posted on Facebook. One woman called her “an amazing woman, kind, loving and always greeted you with a smile. Lucy (rescue dog) grew to trust her because of her mild manner – even when she was running behind schedule.” Another said Prestianni “may be gone but she will never be forgotten.”
Among other incidents logged on the NPD blotter between Jan. 10 and 16 were these:
Jan. 10
Police responded to a report of a dispute at a Passaic Ave. location where officers learned that a man with a bat was trying to enter a store where someone inside was holding the door closed. Police said they were able to identify the would-be intruder based on descriptions given at the scene but couldn’t immediately locate him. However, police said the suspect, Louis Giardelli, 51, of Clifton, voluntarily turned himself in at HQ and was charged with aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon. He was released after posting bail, pending a court date.
Jan. 11
Linda Ramirez, 39, of Clifton, and John Turnick, 23, of Congers, N.Y., were arrested at Centre St. and Franklin Ave. on active warrants. Police said Ramirez was wanted in Paterson while Turnick had two warrants from Paterson, one from Mahwah, one from Edison and one from New York for a parole violation. Police said a search of Ramirez turned up a Newport cigarette pack with two glassine envelopes inside. She was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and turned over to Paterson PD. Police said Turnick, who allegedly originally told officers his name was “Joe Madden,” was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia (a crack pipe) and hindering apprehension. He was taken to Essex County Jail after he was unable to post bail, police said.
Jan. 12
Michael Brown, 27, of Bloomfield, was arrested in a Franklin Ave. parking lot after officers learned there was an active warrant on him from the Essex County Sheriff’s Department. He was picked up by Essex County PD for transfer.
Jan. 13
Police said they observed a road rage incident on Franklin Ave., south of Brookfield Ave., when a man who appeared very agitated, exited his vehicle and approached a female driver, yelling at her, then began smacking the driver’s side window and screaming. Eli Raam, 52, of Nutley, was arrested and taken to HQ where he was charged with disorderly conduct and released pending a court date.
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A Bloomfield Ave. resident reported that someone removed their impaired driver placard from their unlocked vehicle while it was parked in their driveway.
Jan. 15
Police conducted a motor vehicle stop after they said they observed a Nissan Maxima traveling south on Washington Ave. swerving over the center double yellow line. The driver, Gabriel Aquino, 23, of Kearny, was issued summonses for failure to maintain lane and failure to exhibit registration. Police said Aquino also had an active warrant from Montclair. He was arrested and, later, released after posting bail pending court appearances.
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An individual told police they were shopping in a Franklin Ave. store and was unloading groceries in the parking lot when they realized that their Michael Kors wallet containing $200, credit/bank cards and personal items, was missing from the cart. Shortly after reporting it missing, the wallet was found behind a trash can and it still had the personal items but the cash was gone, police said. The victim canceled the card accounts as a precaution.
– Ron Leir
