Animals and children living amid feces and filth
East Stroudsburg, PA (US)Incident Date: Tuesday, Feb 5, 2008
County: Monroe
Disposition: Not Charged
Person of Interest: Michael Petrullo
The man found dead Tuesday morning in his home near Blakeslee was an East Stroudsburg University graduate student determined to become an optometrist despite his terminal illness, say those who knew him.
The Monroe County Coroner's Office as of Wednesday had not ruled on the cause and manner of the death of Michael Petrullo, 35.
Petrullo's wife found him dead shortly before 8:30 a.m. Tuesday in the basement of their Schochs Mill Road home in the Brier Crest Woods development off Route 903, police said. He had been dead for at least several hours.
His wife last saw him alive Monday morning before he left to attend classes at ESU, police said. Professors said he seemed fine in class. The couple has two young daughters.
With medical records being confidential, professors either did not know or declined to comment on what exactly Petrullo's illness was, but said it caused him pain and that he was taking medication for it.
"He once lost the use of his right arm and shoulder (due to the illness), so he had to use his left hand," said Michelle Jones-Wilson, Petrullo's academic adviser at ESU.
Petrullo was majoring in chemical biotechnology and biochemistry and would have graduated this spring with a 3.9 grade point average, professors said.
While taking classes, he was working in the vision center at Wal-Mart in East Stroudsburg. He was planning to be an optometrist. A Wal-Mart co-worker said Petrullo returned to work about a month ago after being out on disability for a year and a half.
"Michael knew he probably wouldn't live long enough to obtain his degree or practice, but he still followed his dream and refused to give up," Jones-Wilson said.
She and others in ESU's chemistry department were shocked and saddened at news of Petrullo's death. Professor John Freeman, who had Petrullo in class this semester and in fall 2006 and spring 2007, called him "an excellent student."
"He was the kind of student you wish you had," Freeman said. "He asked questions above and beyond the course material. He was incredibly inquisitive and interested in exploring science and chemistry."
Police said they found deplorable living conditions and a basement lab when arriving at Petrullo's home Tuesday morning after his wife reported him dead. A state police forensic team was called in to examine the beakers, tubes, syringes and chemicals found.
"We're still awaiting a final determination from forensics as to what exactly those items are and what they were used for," Pocono Mountain Regional Police Detective Sgt. Ken Lenning said Wednesday.
Jones-Wilson said the lab equipment and chemicals are likely a project Petrullo was working on after picking up a copy of the 1960s illustrated children's book, "The Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments." The book, written by Robert Brent, instructs how to set up a chemistry lab.
"Many of the experiments contained in the book are now considered highly dangerous for unsupervised children and would not appear in a modern children's chemistry book," states information on the Wikipedia Web site. "It was said that the experiments and information contained were too dangerous for the general public.
"The book was a source of inspiration to David Hahn, nicknamed 'the Radioactive Boy Scout' by the media, who tried to collect a sample of every chemical element and also built a model nuclear reactor, which led to the involvement of the authorities," the Web site states.
Regardless, those who knew Petrullo don't believe he was involved in anything criminal.
"He was one of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet in your life," Jones-Wilson said.
A Wal-Mart co-worker said, "He was a very, very bright man who would do anything for you."
Police said they also found animal feces, rotting food, garbage and clutter strewn throughout the house, as well as holes in the floor. Because of this, the couple's daughters have been removed from the home and taken into protective custody. They also found three malnourished dogs kept in a cage outside.
"I've never been to Michael's home," Jones-Wilson said. "I don't know what his home life was like or what struggles he was going through there.
"I only know he had a beautiful family and two nice, healthy-looking children," she said. "He would sometimes bring his daughters to class with him, and they were a pleasure to have."
Freeman said, "Whatever troubles he was having, he was a great guy." References« PA State Animal Cruelty Map
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