A Staten Island man accused of killing three Brooklyn shopkeepers was indicted Tuesday on first degree murder charges.
Salvatore Perrone, 64, appeared in Brooklyn Criminal Court to face charges that he shot and killed the men between July and November.
Investigators found a duffel bag in Perrone's girlfriend's apartment containing a rifle that matched shells found where the store keepers were killed, police said.
Mohamed Gebeli, 65; Isaac Kadare, 59; and Rahmatollah Vahidipour, 78, were all found dead inside their stores. The men were of Middle Eastern descent.
They were all shot with a .22 caliber rifle, according to investigators.
Perrone, who was given the name "John Doe Duffel Bag," because he was seen on surveillance video carrying a large bag near the scene of last Friday's murder of Vahidipour was apprehended by police after a Bay Ridge pharmacy employee recognized him as a regular.
Police say the video footage was a big break in the case for investigators.
Perrone confessed to the murders only after talking to someone he thought was a CIA agent, according to law-enforcement officials.
Police say they have not cited a motive but believe the shootings were racially motivated.
Authorities say the suspect may have been planning another murder.
Monday, May 20 2013 6:03 AM EDT2013-05-20 10:03:42 GMT
Metro-North is urging commuters in Connecticut to make alternate plans starting on Monday. Train service on much of the New Haven line remains suspended after Friday's train derailment
Metro-North is urging commuters in Connecticut to make alternate plans starting on Monday. Train service on much of the New Haven line remains suspended after Friday's train derailment
Monday, May 20 2013 5:58 AM EDT2013-05-20 09:58:10 GMT
The Connecticut Department of Transportation and Metro-North Railroad released the following information regarding service on the New Haven commuter rail line
The Connecticut Department of Transportation and Metro-North Railroad released the following information regarding service on the New Haven commuter rail line
Sunday, May 19 2013 10:57 PM EDT2013-05-20 02:57:40 GMT
The federal judge presiding over civil rights challenges to the stop-and-frisk practices of the New York Police Department has no doubt where she stands with the government.
The federal judge presiding over civil rights challenges to the stop-and-frisk practices of the New York Police Department has no doubt where she stands with the government.
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Salvatore Perrone, 64.
