Police: Fla. man killed ailing mother, moved to N.Y.

Andrew Ford | Florida Today

Show Caption Hide Caption Police: Man dismembered mother and moved to N.Y. Police say a Florida man beat his mother to death, dismembered her and dumped her in the woods.

Francis Riccio was arrested in Brooklyn after joint investigation by Brevard and New York police

Riccio%27s mom%2C Maureen Riccio%2C lived with her son%2C his girlfriend and their three children

Maureen Riccio%27s relationship with her son%2C girlfriend became strained and she wanted to leave their home

BREVARD, Fla. -- Stressed by her mounting medical issues, police say Francis Riccio in March beat his mother to death, dismembered the body, put the remains in bags and discarded them near a ditch in woods south of Palm Bay.

Riccio, 49, was arrested Thursday in Brooklyn, N.Y., after a two-week investigation by the Brevard County Sheriff's Office, in cooperation with officers from the New York Police Department. Riccio is charged with first-degree murder and abuse of a dead body. He is being held without bond and will be transported back to Brevard.

The 70-year-old victim lived with her son, his girlfriend and their three children. Police said the two teens and 10-year-old appeared to be unaware of what happened to their grandmother.

"What we believe happened was sometime in late March, an argument escalated between our victim, her son and this female," said Maj. Tod Goodyear. "It became violent, whereupon the son beat his mother to death."

On May 14, an electrical technician pulled off the road to relieve himself near the woods, according to Goodyear. He saw what he thought was an animal carcass. As a hunter, he was intrigued, looked closer and then called police.

Detectives confirmed the man's suspicions.

Detectives used evidence collected at the scene to determine the body was that of Maureen Riccio. They found her address in Melbourne, Fla., though police hadn't received a missing person report about her. They determined she was originally from New York and was living here with her son in a home his family rented.

Investigators searched the house on Patrick Circle and interviewed neighbors. They determined that Francis had tried to find a facility to care for his ailing mother, but couldn't. The relationship between him, his mother and his girlfriend became strained, according to police, and Maureen wanted to leave.

Goodyear said investigators aren't sure of the exact time line, but they suspect Maureen was beaten to death and left in the home while Francis gathered tools, bags and cleaning supplies.

"At one point, the son dismembered his mother in order to make her easier to transport," Goodyear said.

Goodyear said Francis put the remains in his truck, drove south and dumped the remains a couple days after her death. He returned and cleaned the home.

In early April, he moved to Brooklyn with his three children and girlfriend of about 20 years. When they pulled their kids out of school, they said they had a death in the family and had to go to New York.

Goodyear said after the family left, the landlord found window dressings had been removed and one room had been painted a different color. Goodyear said this was evidence of an effort to clean up the scene of the crime. Francis sold his truck, which investigators were able to find. They're looking through it for evidence.

Maureen had been dismembered, but Goodyear said they were able to recover her whole body after weeks in the woods.

Deputies are trying to contact Maureen's daughter, who lives in another state. Goodyear said Maureen's husband died years ago and the family relationship had been strained.

Police do not believe Social Security income, which Maureen had been receiving, played a role in the killing.

Goodyear said detectives from New York Police Department were already investigating Francis for allegedly selling stolen items on Craigslist. Brevard agents worked with NYPD to find and question the family. Francis' girlfriend, whose name isn't being released, is also being investigated but no charges have been filed.

"It can be very hard sometimes to take care of elderly parents," Goodyear said. "It can be very frustrating, but I think that's one of the things we sign on for as sons and daughters."