The tragic case of four young men murdered and buried on a suburban Philadelphia farm earlier this month caught the interest of people far and wide – and now many of them have a better understanding of one of the men charged in the slayings.
- MORE ON THE SOLEBURY MURDERS
- Girlfriend of Bucks County murder victim shares moving tribute on Instagram
- Woman highlights dangers of social media with messages sent to her by Cosmo DiNardo
- ALPR – and a bit of luck – helped authorities target Cosmo DiNardo
By the time investigators unearthed evidence and interviewed a 20-year-old Bensalem, Bucks County, man for a second time, they had his confession.
Cosmo DiNardo, whose family owned the 80-acre property in Solebury, Bucks County, admitted his role in the deaths of all four men – Dean Finocchiaro, 19, of Middletown Township, Bucks County; Jimi Taro Patrick, 19, of Newtown, Bucks County; Mark Sturgis, 22, of Pennsburg, Montgomery County; and Thomas Meo, 21, of Plumsteadville, Bucks County.
DiNardo implicated a cousin – Sean Kratz of Northeast Philadelphia – in the mass murders as well. Both men are charged with murder and related offenses in the slayings and have pleaded not guilty.
Several Facebook groups popped up as the news broke – including one that purported to show support for DiNardo.
Another group, called "Cosmo DiNardo & Sean Kratz. Everything You Need to Know!", started as a closed group on July 13 but has subsequently been made public. "Come share any & all information about Cosmo DiNardo & Sean Kratz bringing light to this terrible tragedy," it invited members.
With more than 9,200 members as of Thursday afternoon, the group includes people from the area and across the nation discussing the facts of the case as well as theories on DiNardo's motives. In addition to the Web detectives who wanted to know what happened, many now seem determined to understand why the four young men were murdered. Many express their hate and ill wishes for DiNardo and Kratz.
On Wednesday, hundreds of people in the group joined a fellow member and casual associate of DiNardo for a live "stalk session" of DiNardo's social media.
Vincenzo Giovanni Palmucci, a South Jersey resident who followed DiNardo on Instagram and Facebook, broadcast three live videos. Two videos – one running more than 6 minutes and the other nearly 21 minutes – focused on DiNardo's Instagram posts.
Another video – more than 42 minutes in length – recorded Palmucci scrolling through DiNardo's Facebook feed, reading posts and comments from as far back as 2013 for members of the group who tuned in to watch and ask him questions in real-time.
The videos – posted on the group's page – have been viewed thousands of times.
'A LOT OF CURIOSITY'
In an interview Thursday afternoon via Facebook, Palmucci said he livestreamed because of the high level of interest in the group.
"There was a lot of curiosity among the members of the group to see what was going through his head from the past all the way up to the murders," he said. "They really wanted to see if there was a change from the quad accident in his mental state. Also they wanted to see if there were any things that pointed to him needing help."
Palmucci, 21, said he was surprised by the reaction he received after livestreaming.
"Everyone in the group was really intrigued with seeing all his social media for the most part," he said. "It gave them a look into the upcoming days where he went overboard."
Palmucci first communicated with DiNardo in 2014 about sneakers. DiNardo would sell sneakers to him. There was no contact for two years after until DiNardo texted him in March looking to sell Palmucci sneakers to raise some money. They met so Palmucci could pay DiNardo for his purchase.
"But he was always, like, weird, when I talked to him," had told a viewer about what DiNardo was like. Palmucci said DiNardo would jump from topic to topic, like he had ADHD. "He was always bragging about something stupid."
The social media posts – especially those since last fall – provide a look at a young man who was extremely comfortable around guns and seemingly becoming increasingly isolated in the months leading up to the murders.
Much of his Instagram presence revolves around hunting for deer and coyote.
"Just smoked a doe," one post said.
One Instagram post from Feb. 18 showed an unidentifiable person in a hospital bed. DiNardo reportedly was seriously injured in an ATV accident in early 2017.
His posts in April focus mostly on sneakers.
Palmucci said DiNardo "would pay homeless people to stand in line for him to buy sneakers" at release events.
'LISTEN U FAT F**K'
DiNardo's Facebook posts appear to be more telling. A selection of posts follows, presented chronologically:
Nov. 23, 2016
A GUN IS LIKE A WOMAN ITS ALL ABOUT HOW YOU HOLD HER
Dec. 2, 2016
Why do girls think its okay to give top to other men while they are in a relationship.
[In a response to a question, DiNardo defines "top" as oral sex, though he uses a different two-word term for it.]
Dec. 16, 2016
DiNardo posted: "In a relationship."
Dec. 19, 2016
I have no luck when it comes to woman
Dec. 20, 2016
I need a ride or die chick who can fill that position
Dec. 27, 2016
I am a savage no explanation needed!
Jan. 15, 2017
Need new women to talk to hmu!
Jan. 20, 2017
Birthday sex anyone ????
Jan. 21, 2017
who wants to go tonight with me for my birthday hmu (followed by his phone number)
Later that day, he posted:
Who loves intercourse like me?
[Jan. 22 was DiNardo's birthday. He received a number of birthday wishes from Facebook friends.]
Jan. 26, 2017
I currently sell firewood but this spring I am starting my own landscaping and tree business if anyone would like a free estimate call me at [phone number]
Jan. 29, 2017
It's official I have no more friends
Feb. 5, 2017
[DiNardo posts a photo of a dead coyote shot during a hunting event.]
Feb. 8, 2017
I have three trips planned alligators in florida in february and elk in september and pheasants in jersey saturday who wants to go
March 1, 2017
Who on here uses Tinder and is successful with it
March 15, 2017
I need to buy some friends
March 19, 2017
so I've been doing a lot of thinking lately so hear it goes the master plan is for me to move someone I can become a professional hunter. Here is how i plan to make my dreams come true.
First I am going to Montana to do taxidermy school for 6 months. My second stop will be to open a butcher shop in New Hope. After the butcher shop, I will use the funds to acquire equipment and a building to make a archery range and a paintball course. After the first four steps I will yu sed the funds to buy property in different states mainly out west and florida as well as South Africa ad Equiatorial Africa. Once I buy property the next move is to use the friends I have made at the butcher shop and taxidermy to go guide hunts for whitetai bear and alligator as well as elk and other small game and predators. I plan to have all this in place by the time I'm thirty years old.
March 20, 2017
I need 10 people to camp out with me for the royal 1s [sneaker release] compensation will be $50 and food and beverage of your choice.
The first couple of days in April including many postings of new sneakers for sale.
May 20, 2017
i need a ride gas money provided
May 21, 2017
when mom starts the convo off with listen u fat fuck
In several messages from June, DiNardo was seeking Facebook friends to join him for concerts and parties. Most of those posts had only a couple of likes and no responses.
June 2, 2017 (3 posts)
who's down for thomas rhett [concert] saturday
party and fire tonight hit me up for the details
meeet me at the trails its going down
June 4, 2017
Who's trying to chill and grab some food
June 9, 2017
party at my house tonight
June 14, 2017
Who wants to go to this [accompanied by a link about the Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor fight]
June 15, 2017
Who wants a firefly [music festival] ticket
June 23, 2017
should I bic my head
June 24, 2017
I'm the big bad wolf come to blow your house down
June 26, 2017 (2 posts)
guns get drawn like cartoons
It's nightmare on elm street and guess who's playing Freddy
July 5, 2017 (at 4:46 a.m.)
Who's awake
Later that Wednesday, DiNardo allegedly shot and killed Jimi Patrick in a remote area of the farm, he told prosecutors later.
July 6, 2017 (at 1:19 a.m.)
Best methods to fall asleep? Other than sleepy pills and shitty tasting tea oh and working out doesn't make me tired FYI
[He engages in a lengthy back-and-forth name-calling with a girl in the early morning hours of July 6.]
July 7, 2017, (at 4:15 a.m.)
where the working men at
Later that Friday, the three other men visited the farm where they were shot and killed, according to DiNardo's confession.
July 8, 2017 (Cosmo DiNardo's last post on Facebook)
Time to say bye bye to Facebook and hello to more free time
July 9, 2017 (at 9:24 p.m.)
A Facebook friend sends a message to Cosmo:
Yo bro alot chatter going around about u having something to do with what's going on. What's the deal bro? I u know any thing u need to loosin the lips n come out with it bro fr fr this is getting out of hand fast!!!!
July 10, 2017 (at 11:22 p.m.)
Same friend to Cosmo:
Tom Meo!! Mark Sturgis!! I hope there names n faces keep you up at night for the rest your life. Each one of them are a million times more than u will ever be!!!
• • •
Sometime Thursday, Cosmo DiNardo's Facebook page was taken down. It was unclear whether the social media platform or his family was responsible. Many in the group speculated that the livestream prompted the takedown.
"It's a very good possibility," Palmucci said Thursday. "Very weird how it went down the day after."
For his part, Palmucci said he wasn't really surprised to hear the news that Cosmo DiNardo had confessed in the murders.
"Not really, there was a weird side to him," he said. "When they said he did it, I kind of just took their word for it because of the vibe he would give me when I would meet him."