RPD using playing cards to help solve cold case homicides

2022-06-24 21:04:32 By : Ms. Vivien Jiang

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Police Department is using a specially created deck of playing cards to try to crack unsolved homicide cases in the city.

Not every murder gets solved. Capt. Frank Umbrino and the Rochester Police Department’s major crimes unit are always looking for ways to generate new leads on cold cases.

“We want do whatever we can to let the families know that we do not forget about the case,” Umbrino said. “Just because we have exhausted everything we are always trying and we are doing what we can to generate new information.”

One of the cold cases is Paul Vasconcellos Jr. He was shot and killed during an attempted robbery while walking to his house in 2010. His dad is not giving up trying to help police find his killer. He suggested to the RPD that they create and hand out cold case playing cards to try to stir up some new leads.

Rochester Cold Case Homicide playing cards. This is the 1st edition. Each card features information on an unsolved murder. They’re given to county jail inmates and to people around the city in hopes of generating new leads. @SPECNews1ROC #coldcase #roc pic.twitter.com/QKNY35Ui8n

The deck profiles of 52 unsolved Rochester homicides.

“In the first edition we tried to pick out some of the more higher-profile cases that we had in the city throughout the years,” Umbrino said. “Neville Bailey is another one. He was a taxi cab driver killed in 2005. Unkle Rog, Roger McCall, he is another one. He was shot and killed on Madison St. in 2003.”

The playing cards are given to inmates at the county jail and handed out to people at community events around the city.

As I read each card I realized I’d covered more than 20 of these murders as a news reporter. I didn’t realize they’re still unsolved. The deck of cards get the conversations going again. Tips-arrests-convictions-justice. Anonymous tip line (585) 423-9300. @SPECNews1ROC pic.twitter.com/NOzgS5T5Lj

“The family never forgets but the community tends to forget sometimes. We tend to forget names that we should be remembering,” said Umbrino. "Anything we can do to generate interest in the case we do. We have had people who have sat on information for years and they forgot about it and something triggered their memory and they couldn't deal with the guilt and they call us and we pursue those leads."

Forty-four years ago Gina Gingello’s dad, a Rochester mob underboss, was killed by a bomb that detonated under his car. She was 14.

“My father was Salvatore. He was known as Sammy G.,” said Gina Gingello.

She still doesn’t know who killed her dad.

If you know something, anything that can help police solve these cold case homicides— do the right thing for these grieving families. CALL police and tell them what ya know. They deserve some sort of closure don’t they? @SPECNews1ROC pic.twitter.com/vdptnpxCiL

“There has been no one named in his murder,” Gingello said. “There were men named in the making of the bomb, but no one ever got convicted of his murder itself.”

“Sammy G” is the king of diamonds in the cold case deck. Gina Gingello knows what all the cold case families are going through and hopes the deck of cards will help lead to tips, arrests, convictions and justice for all.

“It gives closure and gets their questions answered," said Gingello.

The RPD is working on getting the cards to inmates in every prison across the state. The second edition cold case homicide cards will be printed soon.

A reminder, tips remain anonymous so if you have information that you think will help police in any crime, you are encouraged to call 911 or (585) 423-9300.