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Raffo last seen with 3 men in van, friend says
I'm real nervous about giving you this because I don't want to mess up this investigation.' Kenny Bilecki
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Raffo last seen with 3 men in van, friend says
I'm real nervous about giving you this because I don't want to mess up this investigation.' Kenny Bilecki
By MICHAEL CLARK Staff Writer, (609) 272-7204 & MADELINE VITALE Staff Writer
Published: Friday, December 1, 2006
SLIDESHOW Picture 1 of 3
Kenny Bilecki, who is currently incarcerated in Atlantic County jail on a drug offense, was the boyfriend of Kim Raffo, the first of four victims identified after their bodies were found last week in the West Atlantic City section of Egg Harbor Township. Another inmate told Bilecki she was with Raffo on what might have been her last night alive.
Staff photo by Anthony Smedile
It may have been her last night alive.
Kim Raffo, one of four prostitutes found dead last week behind a string of motels in West Atlantic City, was welcomed by three men as she climbed into a large green van along with another woman named Pam. The group departed on a late-night trip to several different motel rooms.
But after one of the men a white man with greasy black hair, a dark beard and a beer belly began assaulting the girls with insults such as dirty *advertiser censored* and rambling about a 15-year prison term he served for murder, Pam decided she had heard enough and left the party. Raffo stayed.
That's the story Raffo's boyfriend, Kenny Bilecki, told The Press on Thursday during an hour-long interview at the Atlantic County jail. He said Pam who since that night has also become incarcerated told him the story during his midnight work shift at the jail.
I didn't have much time to talk to her, said Bilecki, who would not divulge Pam's last name. I don't know the whole details of what she was in for but I do know that when she came to me ... she was beaten up pretty bad. I haven't seen her since.
Bilecki said investigators with the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office questioned him Monday at the jail and also interviewed Pam for more than two hours.
I'm real nervous about giving you this because I don't want to mess up this investigation, said Bilecki, who has served the majority of a 364-day sentence for cocaine possession.
Since the bodies were found, officials have been careful not to comment on any developments or details regarding the investigation. They have only released the identities of the four women.
Part of this investigation is we have interviewed a lot of people, Atlantic County Prosecutor Jeffrey S. Blitz said Thursday in response to questions about Bilecki's claims. I am not going to say who.
However, several city residents said investigators have been showing sketches and cell-phone pictures of a man who resembles the erratic man in Pam's story.
Denise Hill, a resort prostitute who knew some of the victims, said she recognizes the man in the pictures and said she spent the night with him at a Best Western Hotel on Pacific Avenue. She said he only being asked her to console him as he told her he had done terrible things in his past. Hill said Thursday that the man, who she claims is named Eldridge, had a Pennsylvania license plate on his car that ended with the numbers 0889.
A hotel clerk at the Best Western attempted to look up the name in the customer registry after being provided the limited information but could not find a similar listing.
On Tuesday, Charles Ish Coles, of Atlantic City, who was friends with Raffo, said he was worried authorities consider him a suspect. He said he has been harassed with questions about the homicide.
Although Coles resembles the description of the picture that is circulating, Hill insists it's not him.
Another point of interest in the investigation, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, has been room 101 at the Golden Key Motel. Motel workers have refused to allow anyone in the room and would not give a reason for their refusal. Blitz would not comment on how the room may fit into the investigation.
Blitz said his task force, which consists of five different agencies including the FBI, has been busy since the four women Raffo, 35, of Atlantic City; Tracy Ann Roberts, 23, of Atlantic City; Barbara V. Breidor, 42, of Ventnor; and Molly Jean Dilts, 20, of Blairsville, Pa. were identified. Authorities said the bodies were in the marsh behind the motel for a period of about a week to a month.
Since we released the information about the identity of the victims, we have received a good bit of information, the prosecutor said.
Despite the first victim being identified more than a week ago, Blitz said he's still not ready to release any of the bodies, which remain in a morgue that the Atlantic County Medical Examiner's Office leases at Shore Memorial Hospital in Somers Point.
Once we have given instructions to the medical examiner that we have no further use for the bodies, the ME will be authorized to release them, Blitz said.
Hugh Auslander, Raffo's ex-husband, said Thursday that he has been inquiring about the release of her body.
They're not releasing her yet, he said. Possibly at the end of the week. I am waiting to hear from the Medical Examiner and the Prosecutor's offices.
Staff writers Tom Namako and Timothy Puko contributed to this report.
To e-mail Michael Clark at The Press:
Michael.Clark@pressofac.com
To e-mail Madelaine Vitale at The Press:
mvitale@pressofac.com