PSP: Bullett Had Victim's Name On It

The man charged with shooting and killing his son-in-law literally had a bullet with the man's name on it.

According to papers filed in District Judge Dominic Cercone’s office, while investigating the crime scene where 62-year-old Stephen Stidd allegedly shot 42-year-old Mel Bizzarro, state police found “the letters ‘MEL’ carved into the lead portion of the remaining live round” in the handgun.

City police got a call at about 9:30 a.m. from Barbara Stidd saying that her son-in-law had been shot behind Togi’s Restaurant at 412 East Main Street. When they arrived and Lt. Steve Caskey asked what happened, Stidd said, “I told him I had a gun.” Stidd then pulled a handgun out of his right front pocket and handed it to Caskey.

A witness, Kevin Rhebergen, was unloading his truck and told police he heard a verbal fight and then heard a gunshot. Rhebergen subsequently saw Bizzarro lying on the ground and Stidd standing near him. State Police Trooper Nicholas Jordan, who is investigating, said in a news release that Stidd and Bizzarro were in a physical and verbal fight just prior to the shooting.

Stidd is charged with criminal homicide and, according to the state crimes code, a person is guilty of criminal homicide "if he intentionaly, knowingly, recklessly or negligently causes the death of another human being." The police criminal complaint says, "The defendant, Steven Daniel Stidd, did intentionally kill the victim, Melvin David Bizzarro, by shooting him in the chest with a .38-cal(iber) handgun."

Stidd, is free on $100,000 bail, and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Thursday.

State police, not city police, are handling the investigation because there is a family relationship between the suspect and a city police officer.

The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Comments

Anonymous said…
I think its a slap in the face of poor Mel's Kids, who now have to grow up without a father, for $100k bail. He took a mans life, who didn't even have a weapon on him, and to get such low bail. Darn poor people get 1 million dollars bail for murder. Cercone should be challenged in the next election. That's a disgrace for anyone in NY to read this. Heck over there drug dealers get 100k bail and the Catt Co. DA wants no bail. Where was the DA (Ray Learn) on this one. He should have screamed on the rooftop. Its a real insult to the people of Bradford, especially Mel's immediate Family.
January 17, 2015 at 12:32 AM
Anonymous said…
First of all prayers to the families involved may God help them through these times. NOW $100000 bail for a man that allegedly takes another mans life, and where did this man come up with 100000?
January 17, 2015 at 10:01 AM
Anne said…
I'm not taking sides, but I do want to point out that bail, in itself, is not a punishment. It is a form of assurance that the person will show up for further court proceedings. I'm not speaking for Judge Cercone but I'm pretty sure he was thinking that Steve is not going anywhere. Also, he only had to come up with $10,000. The whole $100,000 will only have to be paid if he doesn't show up.
January 19, 2015 at 8:33 AM
Anonymous said…
This man who murdered another on the streets is free on bail? He's related to a police officer? WHY, did he do it? What did the son-in-law do, to deserve back street justice?
January 22, 2015 at 6:32 PM
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