Two sisters have been accused of allegedly murdering their 85-year-old father after the plot remained uncovered for four years until authorities were provided with recordings containing proof saying they were guilty.
The sisters were arrested Tuesday after confessing to the murder.
Linda Roberts, 61, and Mary-Beth Tomaselli, 63, were arrested and charged with the 2015 first-degree murder of Anthony Tomaselli, their elderly father, according to a statement made by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Tuesday.
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri stated, “This is, in some respects — as we sometimes call these things — it’s the perfect murder, because there was absolutely no sign of struggle, no sign of foul play. . . . He had cancer, he had dementia, he was seriously ill. . . . They could have easily gotten away with it.”
The crime allegedly took place on March 6, 2015, at the father’s home in Palm Harbor, Florida. The sisters had called 911 after committing the act, attempting to pass off the death of their father as natural, given his extensive medical history. (RELATED: The Details Of Whitey Bulger’s Murder Will Make Your Stomach Churn)
The sheriff’s office said that at the scene, “there did not appear to be any foul play or criminal activity.” They also noted that Anthony Tomaselli had an “extensive medical history and when contact was made with his primary care physician, he agreed to sign the death certificate” and that “The physician listed the cause of death as natural due to Tomaselli’s advanced age and medical history.”
In February of 2019, a man stepped forward who has had a sexual relationship with both sisters involved, providing authorities with recordings of both women in reference to the crime.
The recordings reveal several attempts to kill Anthony Tomaselli. In the past, the sisters had allegedly attempted to use sleeping pills and alcohol, followed by suffocation with a pillow, both attempts resulting in failure. Finally, the sisters were successful by shoving a rag down their father’s throat until he suffocated and died, according to the sheriff’s office. (RELATED: Man Deported Twice Murders 2 As A Result Of CA’s Sanctuary Laws)
“When that did not work, they stuffed a rag down his throat, pinched his nose, and held his arms down until he stopped breathing and died,” the sheriff’s office stated.
Authorities say Mary-Beth Tomaselli recounted that her daughter was in the house when they committed the act and that they gave her sleeping pills so she could not witness the murder. They also detail that the sisters had faked giving their father CPR while medical professionals arrived in response to their 911 call.
The sister’s reason for murdering their father, according to the sheriff’s office, was “because he was going to die within a couple months and would not live in an Assisted Living Facility.” Both sisters admitted to the allegations against them when they were arrested on Tuesday.