Murder Of Stamford Resident Explored In New Season Of Popular Netflix Docuseries

STAMFORD, CT — The second season of Netflix's popular true crime documentary series "Homicide: New York" premiered last week, and it features a case that hits close to home.

Episode one, titled "Party Monster," focuses on the murder of Stamford resident Joey Comunale.

Comunale, 26, a graduate of Westhill High School, was killed following a night of partying in New York City on Nov. 12, 2016.

"For 26-year-old Joey Comunale, Nov. 12, 2016, started like any other weekend. Comunale, a Connecticut local and Hofstra grad, headed into Manhattan with some friends to hit the club scene. After dancing the night away in the meatpacking district, Joey went to a friend of a friend’s party with a few women he’d met that night. But Comunale never made it home from James Rackover’s lavish Sutton Place apartment," the episode description says.

"When attendees gave differing accounts of the evening, police quickly realized this missing persons case might be a homicide. The women who brought Comunale to Rackover’s said they last interacted with Comunale when he put them in a cab and assumed he had returned to the party, but another guest, Larry Dilione, contradicted their claim — insisting Comunale left at the same time. Meanwhile, partygoer Max Gemma swore he fell asleep early and didn’t see anything at all. But the building’s security footage told a different story."

Comunale's body was dug up from a shallow grave in a remote, wooded area of Oceanport, N.J., on Nov. 16, 2016, a few days after he was reported missing by his family.

Comunale suffered at least 15 stab wounds, a broken pelvis and evidence indicated that someone attempted to burn his body, according to police and the DA's office at the time. A large duffel bag was discovered near the burial site, prosecutors said.

James Rackover, the adopted son of famed jeweler Jeffrey Rackover, was sentenced in 2018 to 28 years to life for the second-degree murder of Comunale and other related charges.

Dilione pleaded guilty to manslaughter in January 2019 and was sentenced to 23 years in prison for his role in the crime.

Gemma was sentenced to six months in prison after pleading guilty to hindering the prosecution. He was released in August 2019 after serving four months.

The episode features interviews with Comunale's family and friends, as well as investigators who worked on the case.

"Homicide: New York" is a true crime docuseries from Dick Wolf, the creator of "Law & Order."

More information on the series can be found here.

— Contains previous reporting from Brendan Krisel