DA: Human Remains Found & Identified, Case Labeled ‘Homicide’

The multi-day search for four missing young men on a large property in Solebury Township reached a tragic new development Wednesday night.

Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub announced at a midnight press conference that investigators from across the region have discovered the human remains of 19-year-old Dean Finocchiaro, of Middletown, in a 12-foot deep pit, referred to as a “common grave.” He implied that the three other men are believed deceased.

The pit was dug on a large property off of Route 202. The property, which became one of investigator’s key search areas in the case is owned by the DiNardo family.

Cosmo DiNardo, 20, of Bensalem, who’s parents own the Solebury property, is a “person of interest” in the case of the four missing young men.

Remains of Tom Meo, 21, of Plumstead, Mark Sturgis, 22 of Pennsburg, Montgomery County and Jimi Patrick, 19 of Newtown Township, have not yet been identified, per official report.

Weintraub was quick to call the case a homicide but would not comment on the next steps in potential charges or what state the remains were in.

The common grave, according to officials, was first acknowledged by cadaver dogs. Investigators began excavating the area painstakinly over the last several days as not to damage any evidence.

Finocchiaro’s family, who reported him missing on Friday, have been notified.

“We will bring the rest of these lost boys home, make no mistake about that,” said Weintraub.

DiNardo was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon on new charges of theft and receiving stolen property after officials alleged he attempted to sell the car of Meo to a friend one day after the Plumstead man was reported missing by his family.

Court documents show that Meo’s 1996 Nissan Maxima was found on the Solebury property and that the keys and title were found hanging on the wall of a garage. Meo, who is a diabetic, was not in or around the vehicle and his life-saving medication was found inside.

According to a probable cause affidavit released Wednesday, DiNardo contacted a friend and later met with them at Bristol and Galloway Roads on Saturday night in an attempt to sell them Meo’s vehicle for $500. That friend, who was not named by investigators, is cooperating with officials in the case.

DiNardo, who spent less than 24 hours released on 10% of $1,000,000 bail in an un-related and previously dismissed gun charge from February that was then refiled Monday, was remanded to the Bucks County Correctional Facility once again Wednesday night, this time on $5 million full cash bail.

LevittownNow.com confirmed with multiple sources that a grand jury has subpoenaed the parents of DiNardo. The secret grand jury will be led by Judge Diane Gibbons.

Publisher/Editor Tom Sofield contributed to this report.