KISS Murder Trial Update: Victim Carried VINNIE VINCENT's Credit Card

November 25, 2002

The man accused of killing the ex-wife of former KISS guitarist Vinnie Vincent and part-time escort AnnMarie Cusano told police he had a fatal struggle with her, The Hartford Courant reported Saturday.

A tape of a police interview conducted two years after the woman was reported missing was played for a jury in Hartford Superior Court Friday.

Gregory McArthur, 42, is accused of killing Cusano in January 1998 in his room at a Hartford boarding house. Authorities say he confessed and led them to her body. He has pleaded innocent to charges of murder, felony murder and first-degree robbery.

Hartford homicide Det. James C. Rovella testified Friday that McArthur waived his constitutional rights four times during the 17-hour interview. Rovella first testified two years ago that McArthur confessed to strangling Cusano.

According to the tape, Cusano, who was used to serving wealthy customers, told McArthur she wasn't comfortable staying in his room at a Hartford rooming house. McArthur said the two argued because she wanted to leave, and she refused to take his money.

McArthur also says on the tape at some point in the five to 10-minute struggle he held Cusano in a headlock, and when he let go, she collapsed.

"She wasn't breathing anymore," he said.

He said he panicked and sat down to think and smoke a hit of crack cocaine. Then, he says he drove her red Mazda around the back of his apartment, carried her body down the stairs and put it in the trunk.

Rovella testified McArthur told him that he traded Cusano's car for crack cocaine, and took $30 and a bank card from her purse. Rovella also said McArthur said he took an American Express card belonging to ex-KISS guitarist Vincent Cusano (a.k.a. Vinnie Vincent). AnnMarie Cusano was briefly married to him in the 1980s.

Rovella said McArthur suffered stab wounds in the back at some point in the alleged incident. He said it wasn't clear how he got them, and McArthur gave two versions about the injuries.

The trial resumes Monday with a cross-examination of Rovella by Senior Public Defender M. Fred Decaprio. The defense is scheduled to start its case Wednesday.

(Thanks: Fullshred)

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