By Jerry Burke
But the father of Ambrosino's child -- her ex-husband's brother -- was unwilling to face those same truths, and sought to solve his "problem" with murder, according to Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown.
New York City and Nassau County police worked quickly to make the case against Steven Schiovone, 35, of Levittown, the man Ambrosino's family has branded a "Judas" who betrayed their trust and, according to police, shot Ambrosino in the head the night of Feb. 21.
The motive, her family claimed at a press conference Sunday afternoon, was to silence her before she told her ex-husband, Keith Ambrosino, that she was expecting a child with Schiovone, Keith's half-brother. "We feel that's why Steve tried to silence her," the victim's brother, Anthony Napolitano, told reporters on the steps of the family's home. Napolitano explained that his sister had already decided to keep the baby, and that the news would have put additional strain on the troubled relationship between Schiovone and his half-brother.
"She didn't believe in [abortion] at all," said Napolitano. "That was her love of life."
The family told reporters how Schiovone was a frequent guest in their home, regularly attending dinners and family functions. He was also young Taylor's godfather.
"Steven is a wolf in sheep's clothing," said Susan's uncle Richard Dibartolo. "As far as we're concerned, his name is Judas. He betrayed us."
Susan's father, Robert Detz, was overwhelmed with grief and said little at the press conference. "She was a loving daughter, a tremendous mother, a good friend to everyone," said Detz. "Whoever did this killed her the way you'd shoot a dog."
Napolitano said that the worst part was having to tell his 9-year-old niece that her mother was gone. "Making the words come to my mouth," he said, "was the hardest thing I've ever done."
Keith Ambrosino, 30, Susan's ex-husband and an Elmont resident, declined to speak to the Herald but has been quoted as saying that he and his brother were not on good terms, especially after he found out about his ex-wife's affair with Schiovone a few weeks ago.
Remembering a beautiful life
The 26-year-old secretary, a graduate of H. Frank Carey High School, was fondly remembered over the weekend by dozens of mourners at the Franklin Funeral Home. "She was wonderful," said Anna Carbone, 40, of Franklin Square, who has been a neighbor of the family for more than 30 years. "She was a good mother."
The Rev. Thomas Groenewold, of St. Catherine of Sienna Roman Catholic Church in Franklin Square, said as he came out of the wake that he tried to comfort Ambrosino's mother, Josephine, who teaches religious education at the church. "She's very upset," Groenewold said. "It's hard to say anything that's going to be of consolation, except we believe in eternal life and the Lord watches over us and will take care of injustice."
"Nobody deserves something like that to happen to them, but especially not someone like her," said Michael Walker of Franklin Square, whose son attends day care with Taylor.
"She was beautiful inside and out, sweet and loving," said Walker's wife, Janice. "We were shocked and in disbelief that anything like this could happen to her."
Ambrosino's funeral was held Monday at St. Catherine's, the same church, her family said, in which she made her first communion.
Hunting the alleged killer
The investigation into Ambrosino's death began early Tuesday morning, Feb. 22, when her family called police at 4 a.m. to report that she was missing. Police say she had not returned home from a Monday night dinner date in New Hyde Park with someone who police now believe was Schiovone.
Ambrosino's purse was found by a passerby on South Jamaica Street, prompting New York City police officers to search for her in the area. At 9 p.m. Tuesday, they located her red Nissan Altima at the southeast corner of 178th Street and Jamaica Avenue. Police say they broke into the trunk and found her body, which had a single gunshot wound to the head.
Brown said that Schiovone shot Ambrosino once in the left side of her head in the front seat of her car, placed her lifeless body in the car trunk and fled the scene.
In a joint effort, the NYPD and the Nassau County Police Department immediately focused on Schiovone, who manages a furniture warehouse. Police say he retained a lawyer quickly and refused to talk to them when they showed up on his front lawn Wednesday morning. Nassau County police, however, arrested him on unrelated charges of driving with a suspended license, failing to obey a yield sign and failing to wear a seat belt.
Brown said the traffic arrest gave officers time to investigate Schiovone's recent activities and phone calls, which eventually led to the break they needed to charge him.
According to a source close to Schiovone, a friend was contacted by the suspect Monday and was asked to tell police that they were hanging out Monday night should the friend be questioned. Police said the friend complied with Schiovone's version of the story at first, and became further involved when Schiovone asked the same friend to hide the gun police believe was the murder weapon.
According to Detective Lt. Dennis Farrell of the Nassau County Homicide Squad, the friend's reversal is what prompted NYPD officers to arrest Schiovone Thursday for Ambrosino's murder.
Schiovone was arrested again Thursday outside First District Court in Hempstead after his arraignment on the traffic charges, and was arraigned Friday in Queens County Court in Kew Gardens. He was charged with second-degree murder and criminal possession of a firearm. He pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail. He faces 25 years if convicted.
Schiovone's lawyer, William Petrillo, claims the police have the wrong man. "He's shell-shocked by the arrest," said Petrillo. "He had absolutely nothing to do with this."
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