Pair Charged With Murder in Death of Hofstra Grad Joey Comunale

A Manhattan party boy who was reportedly like a son to Jeffrey Rackover, Oprah and Donald Trump's go-to jeweler — even taking Rackover's last name — has been charged with the murder of 26-year-old Joseph "Joey" Comunale. His alleged accomplice? Lawrence Dilione, 28, a business owner whose New Jersey offices are located just minutes from the wooded area where Comunale, a Hofstra University graduate, was found buried in a shallow grave.

Comunale, of Stamford, Conn., was last seen partying over the weekend in the glitzy Upper East Side condo of James Rackover, 25. Comunale reportedly met Rackover's other party guests while clubbing in Manhattan earlier Saturday night. They arrived at the Grand Sutton around 4 a.m., according to multiple reports.

Rackover was charged with murder, concealment of a human corpse and tampering with physical evidence Thursday. 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.

Dilione, the New Jersey business owner, has been charged with the same crimes as Rackover, police told Patch. Dilione's LinkedIn profile lists him as the owner of Shore Point Roofing, a business located next door to Oceanport, N.J. — the same town where Comunale's corpse turned up Wednesday.

The NYPD flashed the younger Rackover a search warrant Wednesday and entered his apartment, where they found evidence of foul play relating to Comunale's disappearance and death, an NYPD spokesman told Patch.

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

"He was one of a kind. He didn't deserve this — he didn't go looking for trouble," Pat Comunale said.

"We're in denial," Comunale told reporters. "All I have left is his friends."

In its online listing, the Grand Sutton is described as "an intimate building" with all the classic Upper East Side amenities: a doorman, concierge, courtyard garden, gym, etc. Condos in the building currently sell for around $2 million and rent for around $6,000 per month.

Image of the Grand Sutton via Google Maps