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Criminal Records - Most Wanted |
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Profile |
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Name: Francisco Martinez
(Francisco Martinez Seminari, El Americano Rico ("The Rich American"))
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Sex: Male |
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Race: Hispanic |
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Age Now: 47 |
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Height: 5'8" |
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Weight: 350 lbs. |
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Hair (Color, Description, Facial Hair): Black |
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Eyes (Color and Correction): Brown |
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Other Physical Characteristics: Obese
Will always be wearing a baseball cap to cover discolored balding head
Psoriasis on head and neck
Has a discolored front tooth |
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Wanted for :
Possession Of A Weapon For An Unlawful Purpose, Passaic, NJ;
Sep 16, 2005
Murder, Passaic, NJ;
Sep 16, 2001
Unlawful Flight To Avoid Prosecution, Passaic, NJ;
Sep 14, 2001
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Location(s) |
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Last Seen : Passaic, NJ |
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Possible Location : Passaic, NJ
Peru
Ecuador |
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Last Known : Unkown |
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Traits |
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Speaks Spanish |
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Non-smoker |
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Always travels American Airlines for frequent flyer miles and free tickets |
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Fan of New York Giants |
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Has extensive collection of hats (NY sports teams, movies, etc.) |
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Case Story |
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Cops: Man Betrays Boss By Killing Him |
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In 1974, Michael Cerullo was a young sheet metal mechanic working on the World Trade Centers. He was literally on top of the world and ready to conquer it. But sheet metal would not be his calling. Instead, he joined his father, Rocco, in his Passaic, New Jersey business, Yofi Textiles.
Yofi Textiles produced endless reams of dyed fabric for clothing and linens. Demand was high, and the work was endless. Overtime pay was less of a reward and more the norm. For the men and women who worked at Yofi Textiles, it was more than a place to earn a paycheck -- it was like an extended family.
Michael wasn't the only worker with family ties in the business -- it was common for workers to recommend relatives for job openings, so many were related to one another. One of those workers was Francisco Martinez, whose father got him the job at Yofi when he was sixteen years old. It was around the same time Michael began working for Yofi.
Michael and Francisco quickly became friends. When Michael's father passed away in 1984 he took over the helm of the business. He soon promoted Francisco to Warehouse Manager to help keep supplies in pace with demand. Outside of work, Michael and Francisco spent a lot of time together. They both shared the same passion of the New York Giants and spent many Sundays tailgating and going to games at Giants Stadium. Michael also traveled with Francisco to his native Ecuador. |
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Tragedy At Yofi Textiles |
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Tragedy struck Yofi Textiles in 1996 when a worker was killed in one of the machines. Michael was not at the factory the day of the accident, but the dead man's family put all the blame on him. According to witnesses, a few days after the accident the man's son showed up at the factory and told Michael, "You killed my father and one day I'm going to kill you."
Michael's family says he never took the young man's threat seriously. That was until 2001 when strange events began to unfold at the factory. During the spring of 2001, Michael and another Yofi employee discovered that a gas cap had been removed from the main gas line. The factory had filled up with gas and one spark could have blown up the building. Michael never reported the incident to police because he thought the cap had rattled loose from the constant vibration of machinery.
Then on the night of August 27, 2001, someone tried to blow up the factory again. Around 10:00 pm, several small fires were set throughout the factory and a cap on the gas line was removed. Although the factory filled up with potentially dangerous gas, the fires flamed out before the deadly combination could cause a massive explosion.
Michael was now concerned. A week after the incident the family of the man who was killed in the 1996 accident filed a wrongful death suit. However, Detective Michael LaGreca of the Passaic Police Department determined that young man who threatened Michael a few years earlier was not a suspect. Instead, whoever set the fires probably worked at the factory. That's because the arsonist turned off the alarm prior to entering the factory that night. Detective LaGreca found out that the employee who had entered the factory that night was Francisco Martinez. |
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9/11 Distracts From Investigation |
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While Detective LaGreca was looking into reasons why Francisco would want to blow up the factory something unexpected happened, terrorists slammed two planes into the World Trade Centers on Tuesday September 11, 2001. The entire New York tri-state area was in chaos. Police departments were spread thin because personnel were utilized for rescue efforts and terrorist investigations. Even the employees of Yofi Textiles were greatly affected. But no one was more affected than Michael. His son Michael Jr., said he was melancholy the days after 9/11 because he was reminiscing about when he helped build the towers.
"That whole week, that Wednesday, Thursday, he was very quiet. He wouldn't only talk about it a little bit. He was very saddened by the tragedy. He remembered hanging out in the rafters with his buddies," his son remembered. "It really touched him."
But there must have been something else on Michael's mind that he wasn't telling his family or employees. Police believe Michael may have figured out who set the fires and why. On Friday September 14, Michael Jr., arrived at the factory and began looking for his father. After a short search he found him lying on the floor in the basement of the factory. Michael Cerullo had been killed. He was shot once in the back of the head.
Francisco Martinez Suspected Of Murder
Detective LaGreca's arson investigation now became a murder investigation and Francisco Martinez was the main suspect. Detective LaGreca learned that Francisco was stealing textiles from the company. He would sell the material for cash to shady customers and pocket the cash. They believe Francisco tried to burn down the factory to cover up his crimes. Detectives LaGreca say Michael may have become suspicious of Francisco when an audit revealed nearly $200,000 worth of missing material.
He says on the day he was murdered, Michael had an argument with Francisco. A week later, a relative of Francisco's came forward and said that on day of the murder, Francisco gave him a gun and told him to get rid of it. The relative went to the nearby Passaic River and threw it in. Searchers were able to comb the bottom of the river and find the gun. It was still wrapped in material from Yofi Textiles.
However, when police went to arrest Francisco he was already gone. The friends and family of Michael Cerullo were shocked to find out that Francisco Martinez was wanted for the killing of his boss and friend. Sandy Cerullo says her husband would not have had Francisco arrested.
"He would have worked something out with Francisco. Maybe he was involved with other people, in something my husband would have helped him get out of it. He was that type of guy," she said. |
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