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SI Murder Suspect Thought He Was Jewish, In Mossad
By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 17, 2010
Modified Oct 17, 2010
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By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 17, 2010
Modified Oct 17, 2010
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The Staten Island resident accused of killing his parents in their Annadale home and then fleeing to Israel is now in NYC custody. Eric Bellucci, a 30-year-old whose relatives describe him as schizophrenic, was apprehended at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Avi on Friday and there are reports on why he went to Israel: He was "obsessed with a Jewish heritage he may not even have" and told a friend he was working with the Mossad.
A Stuyvesant High School classmate of Bellucci's told the Post and Daily News that he received a call from the suspect recently: "'He seemed a little paranoid,' the friend told the Daily News. 'He told me that he was working with the Mossad.' The friend, who asked to remain anonymous, said his former football teammate was worried about terrorism and cited the attempted Times Square bombing." The friend told the Post, "He told everyone else he was modeling in Israel, but he told me he was working with Mossad."
The Staten Island Advance has details on why Bellucci thought he was Jewish, though he was raised Catholic: "Bellucci's grandfather told him he was adopted from Jewish parents, they said. Though the story may not have been true, Bellucci became fixated on Jewish culture. One day, without telling anyone, he went to Newark Airport and flew to Tel Aviv by himself... Bellucci had been to Tel Aviv three or four times prior to his flight last week, the source said." The source added, "That was the kind of person he was. He would just take off on a whim."
Bellucci's parents, Arthur and Marian Bellucci, were found stabbed to death on Wednesday night; police think Bellucci killed them on Tuesday, and then took their car to Newark Airport to head to Israel. He was caught at Ben Gurion Airport when he tried to purchase a ticket from Tel Aviv to China, via Turkey—his credit card was turned down, and an airport employee recognized him when he tried to get cash.
Relatives and family friends say that Bellucci's parents had been concerned about his mental state, trying to urge him to take his medication and even turned in his guns to the police, fearing he would use them.
Tagged
arthur bellucci
double murder
eric bellucci
fatal stabbing
israel
marian bellucci
mossad
schizophrenic
staten island
Tel Aviv
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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