GUILTY CA - Gianni, 24, & Sal Belvedere, 22, Ilona Flint, 22, San Diego, 24 Dec 2013 - #2

[Curious Me]

Question for which I have no answers:

If CM was stalking Ilona, wouldn't he have viewed her facebook page with her photos? Her page is public. The cops never found a trace of Ilona on CM's computer.

If CM was a hired gun, why would he enter RIP in the calendar if his phone? Why was there no evidence of hit money being deposited into his bank account?

Why have the cops been unable to find any connection whatsoever between CM and the victims? No cell phone connections. No contact connections. No mutual friends.

Is CM just a random psycho? If so, he still must have known Gianni was picking up Ilona and he must have had access to know that pick-up routine.

Even the DA has no clear motive (and they don't need one).

Thank You again. Really get a lot out of your posts.

Reading from the link you posted earlier.

Some of this information is in the warrant:
http://ftpcontent.worldnow.com/kfmb/...do_warrant.pdf

Wow, CM must have been narcissistically confident that he wouldn't be caught. He almost wasn't, if not for that San Clemente stop. Why would CM keep the clothing he was wearing? Still no motive. Why go after Ilona and Sal too?
It is maddening!

Reading that warrant about how the witnesses tried to help Salvatore as he was clinging to life makes it all too real.

 

[mrsobrien]

He also used his own personal, registered gun. He must have really thought he'd never be caught. Keeping the clothes is consistent with that mindset, imo.

Thank You again. Really get a lot out of your posts.

Reading from the link you posted earlier.

Some of this information is in the warrant:
http://ftpcontent.worldnow.com/kfmb/...do_warrant.pdf

Wow, CM must have been narcissistically confident that he wouldn't be caught. He almost wasn't, if not for that San Clemente stop. Why would CM keep the clothing he was wearing? Still no motive. Why go after Ilona and Sal too?
It is maddening.

Reading that warrant about how the witnesses tried to help Salvatore as he was still alive makes it all too real.

 

[Curious Me]

I'm bringing forward this snippet from an article that was written last June when CM was arrested.

"A friend of the Belvedere family told 10News a resident of the home where Mercado was arrested knows relatives of Sal and Gianni, but it is unclear if the Belvedere brothers knew the suspect."

http://www.10news.com/news/man-arrested-in-connection-with-mission-valley-mall-shootings-06212014

So glad you brought this forward and reminded us. Thank You. Keeping it in mind. It seems like the only possible remote connection between the suspect and the victims we can note at this time. There's got to be a motive and a connection.

http://www.10news.com/news/man-arrested-in-connection-with-mission-valley-mall-shootings-06212014
"A friend of the Belvedere family told 10News a resident of the home where Mercado was arrested knows relatives of Sal and Gianni, but it is unclear if the Belvedere brothers knew the suspect"

 

[obmama]

Seems Gianni was buying a lot of heroin for personal use. Small time drug dealers have a small clientele to pay for their own habit, but dealing out of his parent's house would be difficult. This leaves the restaurant or dealing from his car.

Little is known about Mercado, other than he worked at Target and lived with his sister/brother-in-law I believe. Nothing mentioned about other family, a girlfriend, friends, acquaintances or co-workers. No prior criminal, civil or domestic cases in San Diego.

His previous addresses are Richmond and Hayward, CA. I'll check to see if court records are available on-line for those locations. It would be unusual to not find a criminal past with the magnitude of these crimes. His DNA was not in the data bank until this recent firearms arrest, but DNA collection is a relatively new standard procedure in an arrest.

It's quite possible he had a drug problem himself. Maybe his family sent him to San Diego to turn his life around. Drug users have inner circles of contact people, users and dealers, friends and acquaintances, and friends of friends. It doesn't take long for an addict to sniff out an environment to find their drug of choice. Maybe he checked out Gianni, learned his routine, and asked someone to "hook him up" with the intent to rob him. He knew who Ilona was, maybe Sal too. How that piece fits in, I'm not sure. Perhaps just fulfilling his "assassin" dream role.

 

[SDHELPS]

Question for which I have no answers:

If CM was stalking Ilona, wouldn't he have viewed her facebook page with her photos? Her page is public. The cops never found a trace of Ilona on CM's computer.

If CM was a hired gun, why would he enter RIP in the calendar if his phone? Why was there no evidence of hit money being deposited into his bank account?

Why have the cops been unable to find any connection whatsoever between CM and the victims? No cell phone connections. No contact connections. No mutual friends.

Is CM just a random psycho? If so, he still must have known Gianni was picking up Ilona and he must have had access to know that pick-up routine.

I certainly agree that your wealth of information and insight is so appreciated tvscum. It seems we get the bits and pieces and you so nicely fill in the blanks. Thank you for being here!

On that note I didn't see that this was posted here but Mercado's next court appearance is Sept. 17th @ 1:30 pm (if I get the military time of 13:30 correct).

http://apps.sdsheriff.net/wij/wijDetail.aspx?BookNum=6a8TbeBUsYEQoPnYol/+4+gBLjdCRMfMhgxjbHRy8Ck=

***Enter Mercado as last name and "ca" as first to view***

 

[jash]

Thank You again. Really get a lot out of your posts.

Reading from the link you posted earlier.

Some of this information is in the warrant:
http://ftpcontent.worldnow.com/kfmb/...do_warrant.pdf

Wow, CM must have been narcissistically confident that he wouldn't be caught. He almost wasn't, if not for that San Clemente stop. Why would CM keep the clothing he was wearing? Still no motive. Why go after Ilona and Sal too?
It is maddening!

Reading that warrant about how the witnesses tried to help Salvatore as he was clinging to life makes it all too real.

I agree about the witnesses. I can't help but think if only they had left work a couple minutes earlier... but for their safety it's probably best they didn't.

The warrant is really interesting. Among the items taken from CM's house was a "special police badge" (p.17 http://ftpcontent.worldnow.com/kfmb/misc/mercado_warrant.pdf).

Regarding the guns, apparently CM purchased threaded barrels online (so that he could attach the silencer he made). I wonder when the purchase was made. Also I recall awhile back someone had posted a social media video (or maybe it was just photos) of CM at a firing range. I'd like to find that again to see if he was practicing with the murder weapon.

 

[tvscum]

Regarding the guns, apparently CM purchased threaded barrels online (so that he could attach the silencer he made). I wonder when the purchase was made. Also I recall awhile back someone had posted a social media video (or maybe it was just photos) of CM at a firing range. I'd like to find that again to see if he was practicing with the murder weapon.

That was a March 2012 photo posted on his brother's Facebook page. The caption on that photo read, "At the gun range with his new .45 -- with Carlo Mercado and Richel Hall."

In court today, a California DOJ firearms expert testified that CM owned a Smith & Wesson .45 semi-automatic handgun purchased/registered in Feb. 2012; and a Ruger .22 semi-automatic handgun (the murder weapon) purchased/registered in May 2013.

Unknown when the threaded barrels were purchased. The AR-15 was not registered.

 

[Curious Me]

Thanks, jash. My eyes got so tired that I completely missed the "special police badge" on Page 17.

I did notice "black duct tape" and "tan pants in nylon bag". Did you notice anything else interesting?

Silly, as I should know better, but I was surprised the duct tape was black and not silver color. Now days, duct tape comes in all colors and patterns. I even have clear duct tape.

 

[tvscum]

Thanks, jash. My eyes got so tired that I completely missed the "special police badge" on Page 17.

I did notice "black duct tape" and "tan pants in nylon bag". Did you notice anything else interesting?

Silly, as I should know better, but I was surprised the duct tape was black and not silver color. Now days, duct tape comes in all colors and patterns. I even have clear duct tape.

The lead SDPD detective testified today they found a stun gun in CM's garage, but it is not listed on the search warrant returns. I wonder if they served a second warrant on the house? I guess we'll find out tomorrow.

After that testimony, the defense jumped up and made the detective admit that there is no evidence linking a stun gun to any of the killings.

 

[Curious Me]

The lead SDPD detective testified today they found a stun gun in CM's garage, but it is not listed on the search warrant returns. I wonder if they served a second warrant on the house? I guess we'll find out tomorrow.

After that testimony, the defense jumped up and made the detective admit that there is no evidence linking a stun gun to any of the killings.

You are really a wealth of information for all of us here. I've said thanks enough, so this time I hope you'll accept a gold star. :star1:


I'm afraid of stun guns. Can they make someone pass out or immobilize them to ambush them?

 

[Curious Me]

:wave: Stun guns are defined in section 244.5 of the California Penal Code.

Read more: http://www.ehow.com/list_6401703_california-taser-stun-gun-laws.html

 

[tvscum]

You are really a wealth of information for all of us here. I've said thanks enough, so this time I hope you'll accept a gold star. :star1:


I'm afraid of stun guns. Can they make someone pass out or immobilize them to ambush them?

Thanks for the star!!! Stun guns also leave marks on the body.

 

[nikb]

You are really a wealth of information for all of us here. I've said thanks enough, so this time I hope you'll accept a gold star. :star1:

I'm afraid of stun guns. Can they make someone pass out or immobilize them to ambush them?

I'm no stun gun expert either, but it's apparently what the kidnappers used to grab Jaycee Lee Dugard as a child. I read her book and she said she tried to run but was knocked unconscious shortly after she was hit. (there a lot of articles out there but just so there are a couple for reference here you go: http://www.newser.com/story/120089/garrido-used-taser-before-jaycee-rapes.html and http://www.laketahoenews.net/2011/07/dugard-uses-pinecone-as-symbol-of-hope/). I know they've been used in other cases, this is just the first one that came to mind. I wonder if one was used in this case or CM just went straight to bullets.

 

[obmama]

On-line criminal records are not available for his prior address locations.

Come to think of it, he could not register a gun if he was a felon. Amazing he's a suspect in a triple murder and doesn't have a criminal record. With no known ties to the victims, he could've got away with it if he didn't drive thru a check point with a gun case in clear sight in the back seat. Perhaps his over confidence is an indicator of past crimes he committed and didn't get caught!

Just can't get a read on this guy, but drugs and mental illness are probably in the mix.

 

[tvscum]

The cops apparently looked all over for criminal history -- both state and federal -- but could not find any, according to one of the agents who testified at the prelim.

IMO, the missing car key from Sal's vehicle is important. You would not take the car key if you just wanted to ambush and kill both of them. So, I lean towards CM stalking Ilona. Could it be CM knew her work routine at the mall but never knew her name? And never knew the names of Sal or Gianni either? I speculate this because if he knew any of the three names, certainly he would have searched those names on his computer.

There certainly seems to be an element of psycho wanna-be assassin in his mind, IMOO.

 

[thebestinthewest]

The cops apparently looked all over for criminal history -- both state and federal -- but could not find any, according to one of the agents who testified at the prelim.

IMO, the missing car key from Sal's vehicle is important. You would not take the car key if you just wanted to ambush and kill both of them. So, I lean towards CM stalking Ilona. Could it be CM knew her work routine at the mall but never knew her name? And never knew the names of Sal or Gianni either? I speculate this because if he knew any of the three names, certainly he would have searched those names on his computer.

There certainly seems to be an element of psycho wanna-be assassin in his mind, IMOO.

Can you link to the info provided at court today? I assume you must live there haha just kidding but no really I missed a lot today my media guy forgot his phone at his office. From what I understand Mercado's lawyer pretty much implied he had a role in Gianni's death

 

[tvscum]

Can you link to the info provided at court today? I assume you must live there haha just kidding but no really I missed a lot today my media guy forgot his phone at his office. From what I understand Mercado's lawyer pretty much implied he had a role in Gianni's death

This UT article has the defense attorney admitting CM's involvement in Gianni's death, either in the disposal of his body or in his actual death, as I recall. The defense attorney was really only implying that CM disposed of Gianni's body after Gianni committed suicide, IMO. He wanted the judge to throw out the Sal and Ilona murder counts. The judge wasn't buying it.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/03/police-search-warrant-triple-murder-case-dna/

http://www.cbs8.com/story/26440273/man-accused-in-triple-murder-ordered-to-stand-trial

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/loc...Belvedere-Flint-to-Stand-Trial-273845581.html

 

[Barbarella]

I don't believe a real 'pro' would log the date of a planned murder on his phone calendar, save a list of assassin movies on his browser, or use 'assassin' as a password. It's just a ridiculously asinine thing to do if you don't want to get caught. Jmo.

I agree. It seems like a very amateur thing to do. But, maybe CM was an overly confident, cocky, arrogant wannabe assassin? Maybe he was a gun fanatic and was offered the opportunity by someone to do the hit on these people? It's hard to get into the mind of sociopaths but I'm thinking he did this because someone asked him (possibly drug dealers). I just think when there's smoke, there's fire. There's too much drug related information to ignore the obvious possibility that this was a planned murder over drugs. Also, the kinds of people that do own the types of weapons that CM had are usually into illegal activities (such as drug dealers). Again, just my opinion.

 

[tvscum]

I agree. It seems like a very amateur thing to do. But, maybe CM was an overly confident, cocky, arrogant wannabe assassin? Maybe he was a gun fanatic and was offered the opportunity by someone to do the hit on these people? It's hard to get into the mind of sociopaths but I'm thinking he did this because someone asked him (possibly drug dealers). I just think when there's smoke, there's fire. There's too much drug related information to ignore the obvious possibility that this was a planned murder over drugs. Also, the kinds of people that do own the types of weapons that CM had are usually into illegal activities (such as drug dealers). Again, just my opinion.

Could indeed be just like that ^^^. I think the cops are hoping someone will come forward with a link between CM and the victims before this case goes to trial. JMO.

 

[Curious Me]

News Stations keep showing his cell phone with the outrageous calendar entries.

PAYDAY

Dec. 24 - R.I.P.

Wonder if he meant his pay from Target or some other kind of payday.

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