An attorney for a man charged with murdering his parents and brother over a Bulgarian call girl said prosecutors lack physical evidence linking their client to the deaths.
Deputies in Seminole say Grant Amato, 29, killed his mother Margaret Amato, 61, father Chad Amato, 59, and his brother Cody Amato over his obsession with a Bulgarian call girl. He allegedly stole $200,000 from them to give the woman. His dad set down an ultimatum: take an Internet and sex addiction rehab program, or leave the home. The defendant, however, only spent a couple of weeks in treatment before returning to his family’s residence, according to investigators. Authorities argue that in the end, Amato murdered his family over this dispute.
Amato’s defense attorney, however, doesn’t seem to be worried.
“We’re ready for trial,” attorney Jared Shapiro told WESH.
The case–a death penalty case-– is scheduled to be argued before a jury in July.
The defense wants to suppress evidence obtained during the “unlawful entry and search” of the defendant’s home on January 25. A Seminole county deputy responded to a call from one of Cody Amato’s coworkers, According to a motion obtained by Law&Crime. Cody did not show up for work, so law enforcement checked out the residence.
His vehicle was in the driveway, but the deputy got no answer when he tried to call him, his mother, and the defendant, according to the motion. There was no answer when the official knocked and called “sheriff’s office.” The coworker had said that he was texting Cody the night before, but stopped receiving replies. In the end, the deputy opened a backdoor using his pocket knife, according to the defense.
Grant Amato’s attorneys argue this was an illegal search, and the evidence should be suppressed from trial. In fact, a supplemental witness list dated Wednesday names that deputy.
Authorities say, however, is that this is when investigators found the victims’ bodies. Law enforcement described this entry as a “wellbeing check,” according to the affidavit for arrest warrant obtained by Law&Crime.
Grant Amato wasn’t at home at the time, but law enforcement later questioned him. According to the affidavit, he acknowledged having the motive and opportunity to kill them, but never admitted to the murder. He allegedly said, however, that he might as well be blamed for this because his family had also been blaming him “for ruining their lives.”
[Mugshot via Seminole County]
