GUILTY CA - Gianni, 24, & Sal Belvedere, 22, Ilona Flint, 22, San Diego, 24 Dec 2013 - #1

[TravelingBug]

Media all seem to be awaiting a definitive ID, but I'll be amazed if this is not Gianni.

How strange it seems that the cause of death - homicide - has been announced so quickly, before ID. Decomposition sounds as though it was pretty advanced, so I am guessing the signs of homicide must have been very obvious and nothing that could be confused with suicide. So maybe Gianni was bound?

I can't think what's happened here. I hope LE has much more info than they have mentioned.

What a terrible time for the poor family in this case. So much tragedy and death.

http://www.760kfmb.com/story/24486462/search-for-gianni-belvedere-ends-in-riverside

I'd be shocked if it's not him also.

But as far as determining homicide vs. suicide and the decomposition...

The case a couple of us have posted about / linked to above - Grace Hall - is a perfect example of how that could be the case.

She had been missing TWO months, and in the trunk presumably for all of that time. Even w/ the heat I'd suspect that'd make her AT LEAST as far along as Gianni would have been, but likely even further.

They immediately thought homicide - in the trunk, a lot of stab wounds, etc.

Yet it ended up being suicide. And there was a lot of "that just isn't possible" going around. I think this is going to play out similarly...

As has been said, and is reiterated by one of the SDPD investigators (KGTV's the only one I've seen address this):

An initial ruling or even suspicion of homicide does NOT mean that it rules out suicide.

While yes, in some cases that ends up being what transpired, I think on the whole, the media may be doing a huge disservice in wrongly conveying that it rules out suicide.

 

[TravelingBug]

BBM - Apparently it could still be suicide. Quote from the below article:

Retired SDPD homicide detective Rick Carlson told 10News, "When you find a body in the trunk of a car, it's usually unusual but not out of character for someone that was confused and disoriented and has been involved in such a horrendous event already. You'll find that sometimes when people do commit suicide they look for places that are unusual to get to so people won't find them."

The medical examiner in Riverside County listed the 24-year-old man's body as being a victim of homicide.

10News asked Carlson if that ruled out the possibility of suicide. He said no.

http://www.10news.com/news/body-fou...ble-fatal-shooting-in-san-diego-mall-01182014

LOL - I should have kept reading!

I wrote the same thing - and almost just c/p'd my post from last Friday night when KGTV first aired the interview with him and when I posted what seemed to be highlights, etc.

Very anxious to hear more...

 

[Sandyggo]

I have looked through the San Diego Superior Court records and found numerous (dozens) of lawsuits involving the Belvedere family. In fact in 2001 the Donato and Belvedere families(Paul Donato is Gianni and Sal's uncle) were in a breach of contract lawsuit (they sued each other). It involved the Ottavio Italian restaurant in Lakeside. Ottavio Gianni has courts cases accusing him of fraud, breach of contract and many other claims. Too many cases to go through.

Even Salvatore Belvedere was in a couple of small claims cases at his age of 22. The restaurant in Provo was closed, the pasta company that Gianni and Ilona were promoting seems to have never gotten off the ground (La Primavera Foods) and the family restaurant in Lakeside closed recently.

Again this seems like a professional hit. The Christmas tree lot guy in his trailer did not hear the gunshots nearby, nobody else reported hearing gunshots in the Macy's parking lot that night when the stores were open until 2 a.m. There's a bust In N Out Burger just a block away, open until 2 am (and busy then too) and they did have anyone report several gunshots. So the killer used a gun with a silencer. Then kidnapped Gianni and murdered him and left his body in the trunk of a car.

In the media, it is portrayed as a loss from a loving family.. and of course it is. But somewhere in all the business deals and loses and closing of businesses, lawsuits and such... this must boil down to money or some shading business dealings at some point. The killer knew the family or was hired by someone who knew the family.

The Belvedere family immigrated from Sicily. That's just some trivia, not trying to paint them as mafia... lol

 

[Marg from Oz]

Wonder if they found a gun in the boot and if Gianni had been shot. If so, hope LE don't jump to conclusion it is a suicide. Could be a hit man could have put the suspect gun in the boot after doing away with Gianni. Also wondering if the family will think outside the box now for anyone who may have had something against the family. JMOO

 

[ATasteOfHoney]

I have looked through the San Diego Superior Court records and found numerous (dozens) of lawsuits involving the Belvedere family. In fact in 2001 the Donato and Belvedere families(Paul Donato is Gianni and Sal's uncle) were in a breach of contract lawsuit (they sued each other). It involved the Ottavio Italian restaurant in Lakeside. Ottavio Gianni has courts cases accusing him of fraud, breach of contract and many other claims. Too many cases to go through.

Even Salvatore Belvedere was in a couple of small claims cases at his age of 22. The restaurant in Provo was closed, the pasta company that Gianni and Ilona were promoting seems to have never gotten off the ground (La Primavera Foods) and the family restaurant in Lakeside closed recently.

Again this seems like a professional hit. The Christmas tree lot guy in his trailer did not hear the gunshots nearby, nobody else reported hearing gunshots in the Macy's parking lot that night when the stores were open until 2 a.m. There's a bust In N Out Burger just a block away, open until 2 am (and busy then too) and they did have anyone report several gunshots. So the killer used a gun with a silencer. Then kidnapped Gianni and murdered him and left his body in the trunk of a car.

In the media, it is portrayed as a loss from a loving family.. and of course it is. But somewhere in all the business deals and loses and closing of businesses, lawsuits and such... this must boil down to money or some shading business dealings at some point. The killer knew the family or was hired by someone who knew the family.

The Belvedere family immigrated from Sicily. That's just some trivia, not trying to paint them as mafia... lol

:floorlaugh: :floorlaugh: :floorlaugh:

 

[MsFacetious]

When officers arrived on scene, they met with the caller, who pointed out the vehicle.
When officers popped open the trunk, they found the man's body inside.

After running the license plates on the vehicle, officers learned the car was connected to the missing person case of Gianni Belvedere out of San Diego.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/nati...hooting-Car-Found-in-Riverside-240944071.html


So did they run the plates before or after they popped open the trunk?
I would assume they would run the plates first...
but the missing person OR the smell would have been enough probable cause to open the trunk.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

Yes the autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday. According to reporters (watch video) it is confirmed by family that the body is that of Gianni.

Video: http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/loc...hooting-Car-Found-in-Riverside-240944071.html

Also another regarding the 911 tapes:

http://www.cbs8.com/story/24491046/911-tapes-may-offer-new-clues-in-belvedere-case

Of course none of this has been confirmed by LE. :fence:

This is infuriating: the video at the first link states that Gianni went missing the day BEFORE Salvator and Ilona were shot, even though the text below says he went missing right after. :banghead:

 

[katydid23]

Looks like I owe Gianni an apology. I thought he killed his brother and his fiance and then ran away. It looks like he was a victim as well. What a vicious killer this was.

If so, then someone must have followed Gianni, and came upon the other two victims at that time. Maybe Gianni was meeting them at the mall, and he led the killer to all of them?

 

[thebestinthewest]

Just a thought maybe someone would have better luck I went on Google Earth to try to find the tow company that picks up the cars that have been there too long I was thinking of calling the tow yard and saying my car broke down there and how long do I have before they usually tow...Also I heard some rumors last night when I ventured to Little Italy it may have been poor taste bar jokes or maybe not I wish I could post it but I'm afraid if anyone read it that made those comments they would know it was me posting here. I got friends in low places what can I say haha... but when there were a lot of people around I did hear that Linda Bellvedere and her sister Antoinette are estranged and even this situation didn't bring them together. That sounds like a nasty dispute if you ask me. Also I am in the middle of studying for my CFA so I had to ban myself from Facebook but once I get my boyfriend to give me my new password (yes it was that bad haha) but has anyone gone through the 3 victims Facebook friends list to see if anyone matches the suspect description? Just a thought since all of these public places they probably aren't too careful with their social networking

 

[jash]

Hi thebestinthewest, in early December there was a post on the Facebook page of Mario's Italian Restaurant. It said after 14 years, the owner was moving on to other things and the restaurant would be taken over by family (the original owner of Ottavio's) after Dec. 8th.

It seems like you have a better grasp of who's who than I do. Can you clarify if it was the Belvederes taking over?

If the change of ownership led to staffing changes, maybe there was a disgruntled former employee? I think the uncle in Utah said both Gianni and Sal worked at the family's restaurant...maybe they "took" someone else's job.

 

[thebestinthewest]

Jash,
To be honest I'm not sure I do know the brother's dad runs it and the last time I was there was mid Dec I was in the area buying something on Craigslist. I recognized the father on TV as the guy I've seen both times I was there. Occatvios closed in 2008/2009 and the family moved to San Diego since they moved here to the best of my knowledge they've worked there since they moved here. It was by chance I ended up going in there but both times I was there all the same employees were there and it was good the interior just looked a little uh dated. I can't remember where I recognize Sal from but it's in my head somewhere I'm thinking maybe I saw him on POF and that's why he's so familiar or it may have been a social setting but he is 4 years younger than I am so it doesn't seem to click there.

 

[Sandyggo]

Mario's is a small restaurant in a suburb of San Diego. I looked up the liquor license and it is held by Mangia Bene Corporation. The corporation is held by Rose & Domenico Donato. Paul Donato may be Dominco's son and Rose is Pauls wife. Pauls name was on the previous liquor license before it was transfered to the Mangia Bene corporation.

This restaurant was established in a closed Pizza Hut back in 1998. For several years, the name of this restaurant was Ottavio's Italian.

Years before, in 1994, Leonard Belvedere (Gianni's father) and Paul Donato operated a restaurant called "Ottavio's" at 101 Jamacha Road, El Cajon. About 5 miles from the Mario's in Lakeside. This location closed around May, 2012.

I'm not able to find when the Lakeside Ottavio's opened, but apparently there were two Ottavio's running at the same time for almost a decade, El Cajon and Lakeside. I can see Yelp reviews for Ottavio's in Lakeside in 2008. The Ottavio's in Lakeside changed it's name to Mario's sometime in 2008. So it may be changing back to Ottavio's.

That might mean that the Belvedere's ran it and the Donato's are taking it back.

As I posted before, Leonard Belvedere sued Paul Donato (and Ottavio's restaurant) for breach of contract in May, 2002. Donato's father, Domenico Donato has dozens of records in the Superior Court for injunctions, fraud and other civil matters.

 

[Sandyggo]

The Ottavio's restaurant in Provo, UT, was a partnership between Vic Balsano and Leonard and Ottavio Belvedere. They closed the restaurant around July, 2009.

"That's because Sicilian owners Vic Balsano and his cousins Lenny and Ottavio Belvedere are planning to launch full-time into their prepackaged food-making business, Primavera Foods, which has been distributing the restaurant's signature creamy tomato basil soup at Costco in Utah"

This is why (quoted from Daily Herald): http://www.heraldextra.com/business/local/article_20b0207b-d9e7-54f5-9b5b-5543786fa440.html

So they were going to make this line of foods for Costco. But the Belvedere's relocated to California. And maybe are taking back the business that the Donato family was running. Anyway, the La Primavera Specialty Foods was and LLC filed in Utah. But when the Belvedere's relocated to San Diego, they relocated the company headquarters to the Mario's restaurant address in Lakeside.

http://companies.findthecompany.com/l/31380773/La-Primavera-Specialty-Foods-Llc-in-Lakeside-CA

They also recently filed for a name on the trademark in or around August, 2013.
http://www.trademarkia.com/la-primavera-specialty-foods-85910107.html

Gianni and Ilona began to promo the business asking people to "like it" on their facebook accounts. Scroll down on Ilona's facebook account for the photos:
https://www.facebook.com/ilona.gregorievna?fref=ts

This is the Primavera Foods fb: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Laprimavera-Specialty-Foods/620892677936678

Now, they were going to take the money from the business that Vic Balsano and Lenny (Leonard) Belvedere closed and sold the building in Provo and go into the production of Italian foods on a mass scale that could supply Costco!

So what happened? Where is the money that was going to be invested in this business? They were saying they were going to compete with "Michelangelo's Food Products and Buitoni." Serously? Those are huge companies that are very established.

I worked for Costco at their headquarters in Issaquah from 1994 to 1998. Great company. I learned a lot about their merchandising. There are hundreds of companies that Costco gives a chance at selling their wares in the local warehouses. Often times, like here in San Diego, it may only be sold in the local warehouses. We have a BBQ Sauce sold in local Costco's from a local popular restaurant called Phil's BBQ. At one time, Costco (then Price Club) made some small companies huge. Chicago Brother's Pizza was a local chain and they went into frozen food and made millions expanding. So did DeliMex and Milton's Bread. But those are rare exceptions. Costco "road shows" and product trials are not guarantees.

So where am I going? Well where is LaPrimavera Foods now? Did someone invest in them? The timing of the Mario's closing in December of 2013 is interesting. Gianna was apparently going to be managing LaPrimavera.

What did Vic Balsano do after Ottavio's closed in Provo? I ran a business before and I can tell you when you close or go broke, it's hard. You lose your job, your income and your hobby/lifestyle, etc. What is Vic Balsano doing since LaPrimavera is not apparently doing anything.

Were there any other investors? Did other people lose jobs or hopes with Primavera? Did someone invest big time because of the Costco name dropping only to later see the deal fall apart?

 

[Curious Me]

The family has suffered such loss and devastion. My prayers go out to them.

BTW, the uncle, Paul Donato, is on this video from the vigil.

Car Tied to Missing Man Found With a Body in Trunk
Though police have not yet identified the man, a family source says the body is that of missing San Diego man, Gianni Belvedere
Source: http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/nati...und-in-Riverside-240944071.html#ixzz2qt8LxLar

 

[TravelingBug]

Looks like I owe Gianni an apology. I thought he killed his brother and his fiance and then ran away. It looks like he was a victim as well. What a vicious killer this was.

If so, then someone must have followed Gianni, and came upon the other two victims at that time. Maybe Gianni was meeting them at the mall, and he led the killer to all of them?

I'd say the other scenario still isn't ruled out...

The coroner's office, which reported the man's age as 24, listed the cause of death as homicide. Vasquez says that though the body was listed on the coroner's website as a victim of homicide, suicide has not been ruled out.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

Case has been turned over to SDPD:

http://www.cbs8.com/story/24494528/sdpd-now-lead-agency-on-death-investigation

 

[IzzyBlanche]

Well now.

From my link in post 456:

Dispatcher: "Possible black male, in mid-twenties, about 5'9, thin build, uh, wearing a dark sweater with white striped bands, on both sleeves and he was walking away from the passenger side, getting into a vehicle, possibly a Honda."

Picture of Gianni posted here http://fox5sandiego.com/2013/12/25/...shot-near-mission-valley-mall/#axzz2qtKfocuP:

 

[TravelingBug]

If it's clear enough that it's Gianni in the trunk that the family is coming out and saying that it is him, then it'd seem that he either hadn't been dead all that long b/c the smell hadn't been noticed prior to this, the car was hidden very well w/ a lot of other "risks," or Gianni killed himself in the car - and likely more recently.

Actually, I guess the third option is that someone found the car and stole it (that's been a HUGE issue in San Diego the last month or so...so possibly also up in Riverside) Then they discovered Gianni in the trunk - whether suicide or homicide - and dumped the car b/c they were only involved in a possible theft NOT in whatever happened w/ Gianni.

Going with the first option, that someone else had killed him, there are a whole lot of risks and instances of the person having to be awfully lucky...almost to the point where it'd seem to have to possibly be a professional hit (which I still doubt) or else a really dumb, yet lucky, person to have pulled off several brazen things at both locations.

That person somehow risked having a very smelly car in their possession somewhere and was just darn lucky no one figured it out, it's possible but seems it'd be a HUGE risk. Risking someone realizing they had a different car, realizing that the car smelled, realizing that perhaps the person was not willing to let them have access to the trunk, etc. That's a darn lot of risks to take on...IMO.

Casey (Anthony) is one illustration of that, but we don't see it often, especially not someone that'd either been missing for so long or has been dead for so long.

PLUS then the person risked leaving the car in a VERY visible spot.

It'd have made far more sense to leave the car in a less heavily travelled area - where there's a far smaller chance there'd be video surveillance, and where it wasn't open round the clock, risking them being seen either leaving the car or walking into Jack in the Box and leaving a different way so just never getting back in the car. But THAT would be even more apt to have been picked up - b/c of having video inside the store (regardless of if the exterior shows anything beyond right into the doors and the drive-thru) Seems like an awful lot of risk that would be odd to take...

Regardless of how long the car has been in that Jack in the Box lot vs. wherever else it was prior to the last week or so (week being give or take a bit since we have the person who says she always parks in that spot knowing when she last did, as well as the cat lady...personally I'd trust the employee more, but...

If Gianni had killed himself in the lot (just as Grace Anne Hall did a year ago) in the trunk, he'd have had to have gotten into it without being seen, but that's it. Far less risky...no having to have gotten in AND out of the lot undetected, etc. And it'd make far more sense for HIM to want his own body to be found, IMO, to end the torment of his family not knowing his whereabouts.

If someone else had killed Gianni, why suddenly want him found? How was that to his/their advantage?

Unlikely it was a guilty conscious - surely that'd have gotten to them before now... We've not had his family making public pleas - so seems unlikely it'd be to ease their anguish...(besides, you'd think they'd not have done it to begin with if they cared about the family at all) And if it was someone else, why let Ilona and Salvatore be found immediately but hold out on having Gianni be found? Never mind having him turn up over an hour away? Why get him out of the San Diego area?

There's been no indication it's a ransom type attempt at any point. If there had been, I'd suspect they'd have had far more awareness of where he might be held or turn up - yet Riverside didn't see the car and think "hmm..." and realize it could be connected until it was brought to their attention b/c of the smell, then opening the trunk, then running the plates.

Never mind that at least in San Diego, a car left in a lot like that - a public business one - that had been left sitting would have been nearly certainly been picked up or looked into, not only upon an alert individual calling it in!

 

[TravelingBug]

With enough making it apparent it was Gianni for the family to be releasing that, despite authorities not doing so yet, I truly think that means there has to be either ID or clothing or something, given what the heat would have done even if he'd only been in there a few days - never mind nearly a month when I think we've only had one day much below 70, and with many in the 80's (and at least as high in Riverside).

Although they're saying they don't know the ID of the person, I'd suspect they're only not releasing that because they are really more trying to determine if it was suicide or homicide and know releasing the ID with certainty would then cause that to be the major question - and right now it's one they want to hold off on.

I'm very curious, as well, if they're watching any possible suspect(s) given the find of the car and body - since they very clearly did NOT release the suspect info a month ago that actually would have been more useful...which makes it seem that they either really question that info or they had a reason not to want the person 'tipped off' that they were onto them.

(And just because it ties in - in the time it took me to type this, I heard 3 questionable car find calls come in...on only one feed...one that someone said had been there a day or two in one case, and two that officers drove up on and had seen there in the last few days...none of which were in shopping centers/high-traffic business lots when it'd be more notable to officers or at least security)

 

[TravelingBug]

The other thing I think is interesting...

If someone (or someones) had been in the back of the car Salvatore and Ilona were in and they were killed from in the car, it sure seems like they'd have tried to have driven, honk the horn, something to get attention (given things WERE open)

Or that they'd have locked the doors when seeing someone walk up, or try to drive away then.

Certainly makes me wonder if they knew the person (thus not trying to get away or make a commotion) if they were truly in the car at some point as at least one account now indicates.

Although we know at least one window shows a bullet hole - but it could be from the inside out, I suppose.

One thing I'd be curious about is if they actually have confirmation of the # the 911 call came from?

Could the person who called have been someone OTHER than Ilona? Someone who wanted to get them help but couldn't risk themselves being tied to it in some way or something?

Sure could make more sense why she didn't know where she was - especially if she really did work at Macy's (the watch counter more specifically per one individual who posted above)...because it was VERY apparent where they were at in the lot. And as I've said, there's no way not to have seen signs, etc. from where the car was found.

And it could also explain why she wouldn't have said she was with someone and that that person was also shot....which also makes little sense if the three are close as have been reported to be.