By Laura Lane Mervosh
On Sept. 28, Michael Kellington, 34, who lived
down the block from the victim, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, admitting that he intended to kill Mantovani when he stabbed him more than 10 times in the chest, puncturing his heart and lungs. The killer was sentenced to 18 years to life.
"Michael Kellington did this horrific act to a
person that he described as a friend," brother-in-law
William Pastore said. "Even worse, he committed this
murder against a neighbor he had known most of his
life."
The pairing of Richard Mantovani and Michael
Kellington as friends was unlikely. Mantovani had been a
sanitation worker who often worked two other jobs in
an effort to complete the latest renovation he was
performing on his house.
Kellington was an ex-convict with prior records in Nassau, Florida and Alabama. He had already served time for vehicular manslaughter in Alabama when, in 1982, he smashed a bottle over a man's head, took his wallet and sped off in a car as police chased him. He killed a pregnant woman when he hit her car head-on while trying to flee.
Mantovani, small in stature but strong, was a black belt in karate and a boxer. He became the 125-pound open champion in the 1996 Golden Gloves held at Madison Square
Garden, the amateur boxing tournament sponsored by the
Daily News. Although affable and meticulous in all of
his efforts, Mantovani had a personality trait that
some would see as a flaw. This would ultimately lead
to his death.
"Richard treated people with respect and sought
out the good in everyone," his sister Karen Pastore
said. "He was a good Samaritan, ready and available to
help those in need."
Kellington was a neighbor in need. Recently
released from jail, he was without a driver's license.
In order to continue working as a house painter, he
needed a driver. His neighbor Mantovani had painted
houses before. It was one of his many side jobs.
Kellington convinced his neighbor to accompany him to
one of his painting jobs. Although they worked
together during this time, the arrangement was not a
positive one for Mantovani.
"During the few weeks that they painted houses
together, the men feuded several times," mother
Yolanda Mantovani said.
On the night of the murder, phone records showed
that a call from Mantovani's house was placed to
Kellington's at about 10:30 p.m.
Joy Watson, deputy chief of the Nassau District
Attorney's Major Offense Bureau, believes that the
motive for the killing was a threat by Mantovani to go
to police and report that Kellington had stolen his
wallet. What exactly happened between the two men
will likely never be known, since Kellington has refused to
talk.
Mantovani was last seen alive on the evening of
Oct. 13, 1998. Two days later, his body was found in
the basement of his house on Merillon Avenue. Neighbors
had alerted authorities, concerned by a collection of
mail and newspapers piled up outside Mantovani's front
door. Over the next three years, detectives
investigated the crime, finding little evidence.
Eventually they were able to link DNA, clothing and a
pair of sneakers that belonged to Kellington found at
a sump nearby. This, along with the phone records, gave
a green light for a trial to be set. But the weapon
was never found.
During this time, the Mantovani family, eager to
bring the killer to justice, continued to suffer.
"It was such a senseless thing," Karen Pastore
said. "You can understand when people die, but in this,
you are dragged into a whole other world."
"The trial begins to run your life," William
Pastore added. "You are afraid to plan a vacation or
go out of town thinking, is there anything we should
be doing that we're not doing?"
Up to the last minute, there was supposed to
be a trial. Yolanda Mantovani attended weeks of jury
selection. Daughter Diane Yandow, now a Connecticut
resident, made arrangements for her children to be
taken care of so she could be present for trial. The
family endured four or five postponements. To
everyone's surprise, the day before the trial,
Kellington accepted a plea agreement.
On both the trial and sentencing date, Kellington
had no one present for support. His own family sat
near the Mantovani family, hoping for the maximum
sentence.
"Stone cold and emotionless, Kellington sat at the
table like he was bored with the whole thing," Karen
Pastore said.
Kellington declined to speak when Nassau County
Court Judge Jeffrey S. Brown asked if he would like to
comment. He let his lawyer, Christopher DeVane, speak
for him, stating that he was sorry and hoped that by
avoiding a trial, the Mantovanis would find closure
sooner rather than later.
Members of the Mantovani family pointed out that
if this were really the murderer's intention, he would
have admitted guilt years earlier.
Shortly before he was murdered, Richard Mantovani
was thinking of going pro with his boxing. With his
divorce nearly finalized, he was looking forward to
the future, spending much time fixing up his house.
"He was trying to start a new life," Karen
Pastore said. "He really was such a fun brother, so
good with my kids. He wanted a family of his own one
day," she said. "He loved babies."
