Crime & Safety

Schettino Family Asks Court for Help in Answers About Son's Death

Blue Point family of teen killed on LIE seeks update on investigation.

All Jo Ann Schettino wants these days are answers. Answers about what happened when her 18-year-old son, Billy, was killed on March 14, and why it happened.

“It’s been two months and we know nothing still,” said the Blue Point resident.

The family has hired an attorney, Theodore Rosenberg, of Rosenberg and Gluck in Holtsville, and was granted a conference with a county court judge Tuesday.

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The family is asking for the court's help in getting a status report on the investigation, a copy of the medical examiner and autopsy reports and the personal effects from Billy Schettino’s car which remains impounded.

“We had been told in a letter from the district attorney’s office that they can’t release any of what we want due to the investigation,” said Schettino. “I don’t understand why I can’t have my son's phone or GPS or the backpack he had for school.”

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Most of all the teenager’s mother wants the rosary beads that hung on her son’s car rear view window.

“How is having that part of the investigation,” she asks. “There is also a Grateful Dead bracelet which is very important as Billy and his Dad were huge fans.”

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According to the family, the court will issue a ruling on the family's requests within 10 days.

Billy Schettino, a Bayport-Blue Point graduate, was headed to college classes the night he was killed. The family says his car became disabled after a hit and run incident and that he was awaiting help when he was struck and killed by a Suffolk County Sheriff's car driven by Richard Tedesco.

A spokesman for the Suffolk County Sherriff’s office has stated that sun glare was responsible for the accident.

Patch has emailed the district attorney's office for a statement on the status of the investigation and a call had not been returned by press time.

Patch has learned that the New York State Police have completed its accident investigation report several weeks ago, and a spokesperson said it ha been submitted it to the Sheriff’s office. The sheriff office spokesman has referred inquiries on the investigation to the district attorney’s office.

Schettino family members say they are frustrated and angry about not getting any specific information as it's two months since the accident.

“My feeling is that may be elements of a crime involved,” said Billy’s grandfather, Tony Zagger. “They’re [DA's office] going to say this was just a terrible accident but I don’t believe that.”

Zagger and his son, Anthony, have begun posting information on Facebook pages that they state are factual data regarding the incident. The family claims there is an eye witness report and that the sheriff car was moved after the accident.

"They went through my grandson's car which the judge said wasn't allowed," said Zagger, Jo Ann's father. "They had no reason to do that and or keep his stuff. This is just making it much more difficult for her [Jo Ann] and I'm not going to let go of this until we get the answers we want."


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