Two Charged in Connection with Communale Homicide: Update

Update: Murder charges were withdrawn and as of April 24 no one was been charged with murder. Prosecutors expect to file murder charges by early May.

STAMFORD, CT — A man who was like a son to famous celebrity jeweler Jeffrey Rackover along with a New Jersey businessman were charged in connection with the death of 26-year-old Stamford resident Joseph Comunale in New York City.

Lawrence Dilione, 28, and James Rackover, 25, were each charged with murder, concealment of a human corpse and tampering with physical evidence Thursday. Dilione was additionally charged with hindering prosecution. The murder charges were later withdrawn.

Rackover owns an apartment on the fourth floor of the Grand Sutton tower, located on East 59th Street near First Avenue, according to the NYPD. Comunale was last seen partying over the weekend in Rackover's condo, according to multiple media reports. His body was found in a shallow grave in Oceanport, New Jersey. Wednesday.

There were signs that an attempt to burn the body was made with gasoline, and Comunale was reportedly stabbed 15 times.

Dilione's LinkedIn profile lists him as the owner of Shore Point Roofing, a business located next door to Oceanport — the same town where Comunale's corpse turned up Wednesday.

Rackover was like a son to famous jewelry Jeffrey Rackover, according to reports.

Joseph Comunale went to 518 E. 59th St. with people he met in the early Sunday morning hours. He had been in Greenwich Village previously, according to the NYPD. He was reportedly partying there with two men and three women in the apartment of Rackover.

The NYPD searched James Rackover's apartment and found signs of foul play connected to Comunale's disappearance, a NYPD spokesman told Patch.

A pair of bloody sheets and pants were found outside of the apartment building in a garbage bag, according to the Daily News. Rackover asked the apartment building's front desk for a luggage cart, which was used to roll two suitcases out of the building after his guests left Sunday.

Condos in the building typically sell for around $2 million, and rent is about $6,000 per month.

Rackover was initially taken into custody on an unrelated charge of aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

The victim's father Pat Comunale told reporters Thursday that his son Joey touched the hearts of everyone he met, and that he didn't deserve to be killed.

Joseph Comunale was a sales associate at Tri-Ed Ltd., a company that sells security devices such as CCTV cameras.

Additional reporting by Brendan Krisel (Patch National Staff)

Image of the Grand Sutton via Google Maps